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Written by: A. Smith
Published April 4, 2025 @ 3:51 PM ET
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. – A Newton County jury convicted Carey Donovan Clark on Thursday for his role in the years-long abuse of his children, just months after co-defendant Nora Rodgers was sentenced to 60 years for similar crimes.
Clark, 39, was found guilty of six counts of second-degree cruelty to children and one count of aggravated battery. The charges stemmed from his abuse and neglect of multiple children under the age of 10, which prosecutors described as “torture.” The abuse included forcing the children to perform extreme physical exercises such as running laps, doing squats while carrying heavy logs, and performing jumping jacks for extended periods—often late at night and in the sweltering heat of summer.
A doctor from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta testified that the children’s suffering amounted to torture. The physical abuse was coupled with the denial of food as punishment, leaving the children malnourished and deprived. Additionally, the children’s meals were often time-restricted, and solid foods were blended into liquids to force them to eat quickly.
Nora Rodgers, Clark’s co-defendant and stepmother to the children, pleaded guilty to nine counts of cruelty to children in October 2023.
The abuse was discovered in October 2020 when a concerned relative alerted authorities. When law enforcement arrived at the residence, they found a 9-year-old child with a black eye and severe bruising, an 8-year-old with bruises and scrapes, and a 6-year-old with injuries so severe they could have been fatal, including a broken elbow and bruising across her body. The 6-year-old child’s injuries required treatment by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s trauma team.
According to prosecutors, the children were subjected to forced physical exercises resembling boot camp routines. If the children failed to meet Rodgers’ expectations, they were subjected to further beatings, including physical sparring with Rodgers.
While the children were subjected to extreme abuse and malnutrition, Rodgers’ biological children in the same home did not face similar punishments.
The case garnered significant attention from law enforcement and child advocacy organizations. Following the discovery of the abuse, all six children were removed from the home and placed in foster care. The Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and other agencies worked together to ensure the safety and well-being of the children.
During Rodgers’s sentencing hearing in December 2023, the court heard emotional impact statements from the children, their foster parents, a social worker, and their grandmother. District Attorney Randy McGinley praised the joint efforts of law enforcement and social services, expressing gratitude for the support the children received after the abuse.
“I want to thank the hard work of the prosecution team, the law enforcement officers, and the other agencies that were involved in this case,” McGinley said. “The dedication to the victims over the last 4 and a half years is inspiring. And, as I said after Rodgers’ sentencing, a special thanks goes to the foster parents who cared for the children after their abuse and the family of the children who reported the abuse. Those that step up to raise and care for children that have been abused are truly angels.”
Rodgers, who was previously warned by the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) against using exercise or corporal punishment, was sentenced to 60 years in prison, with 30 years to be served.
Clark’s sentencing is expected in the coming months.