DA: Former daycare worker seen on video punching, slamming babies sentenced to 20 years

Written by: A. Smith

Published February 12, 2026 @ 9:38 AM ET

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – The last of four daycare workers accused of child abuse at a DeKalb County child care facility has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, the district attorney announced.

Cherretta Hull, 79, pleaded guilty Monday to 19 counts of first-degree child cruelty involving approximately 13 victims ranging in age from 6 months to 3 years old. She will serve an additional 10 years on probation following her prison term.

Hull’s was a non-negotiated plea, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office said.

Investigators reviewed surveillance video footage that showed Hull pinching, slapping and punching babies with a closed fist at the Appletree Learning Center & Academy in Stone Mountain, according to the district attorney’s office. She was also recorded repeatedly handling children in a rough manner by slamming them down onto changing tables, tossing them into cribs, dropping them on the ground and forcefully picking them up by one arm and dangling them.

The investigation began in July 2022 after a parent reported allegations of inappropriate discipline with toddlers. One mother noticed marks on her son’s face that were described to her as bug bites. According to a police report, the boy had told his mother he had been “popped in the head” a few days before the injuries appeared on his face.

The mother arranged a meeting with the daycare owner but felt the investigation “wasn’t properly handled,” the report states. A few days later, the marks appeared on her son’s face. The mother told police she felt those injuries “may have been retaliation” for him bringing up the earlier claim.

During plea hearings in 2024 for the other defendants, parents submitted letters describing alleged abuses including children being slammed onto changing tables, dragged and choked. A filed indictment stated that the children also experienced pushing, aggressive grabbing and rough handling.

Hull is the last of the defendants to plead in the case. During the 2024 plea hearing for the other three defendants, she was released from the courtroom with an ankle monitor as the state evaluated her competency.

The other three women pleaded guilty to charges in 2024: Alexis Swain, 28, and Cori Chambers, 21, pleaded guilty to child cruelty charges, while Cassandra Chambers, 56, pleaded guilty to one count of failure to report suspected child abuse.

The Appletree Learning Center & Academy has since closed.