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Child Pornography

'Missing child' wasn't in wrecked car (02/16/12)
"Where is my baby?" Sarabeth Smith's cries startled police officers arriving at the Eaton Drive-Railroad Avenue-North Hillcrest Drive-East Lane Street intersection, where she had driven into a ditch moments earlier Tuesday night. Officers and emergency fire and medical crews searched the area for some time while Smith, 21, of Anthony Road near Wartrace, was "combative and cussing officers at times."...

NCLB waiver changes focus on local data, testing to stay same (02/12/12)
Bedford County School Superintendent Dr. Ray Butrum said the approval last week of waivers for the requirements of the No Child Left Behind act had been expected, and won't change the way schools are operating. President Barack Obama announced on Thursday that waivers from some of the law's requirements were being granted to 10 states which had requested them, including Tennessee...

Hansen trial to be open (11/22/11)
The public and news media will be allowed access to the trial and records involving the case of a woman who sent her adopted Russian child back to his home country last year, a judge ruled Monday. However, it seems unlikely that the trial itself will go on in January as planned since both sides did not appear to be ready to proceed...

Church is local HQ for gift drive (11/03/11)
A Shelbyville church will serve as a drop-off location for a nationwide effort to bring gifts to hurting kids around the world. New Beginnings Baptist Church, 2027 Madison St., will be participating in Operation Christmas Child, which is described as the world's largest Christmas project of its kind, from Nov. 14-21...

Dad accused of injuring 4-month-old (09/22/11)
The father of a 4-month-old girl is accused of inflicting injuries that have left her fighting for her life in a Nashville hospital. James Tyler Cobble, 24, of Templeton Street was charged with aggravated child abuse and child abuse Wednesday afternoon, detective Carol Jean of the Shelbyville Police Department said...

Alexander behind proposal to cut back NCLB (09/15/11)
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander and two of his GOP colleagues say they want to scale back some provisions of the No Child Left Behind act which are no longer needed, while preserving its testing, accountability and parent information provisions. "It's time to transfer responsibility back to the states and the cities," said Alexander during a conference call with Tennessee reporters on Wednesday. Also on the call were Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.)...

Schools grade higher in TCAP (07/14/11)
Bedford County Schools' system-wide scores in the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test, released last week, showed improvement in reading, math and science, but a very slight decline in social studies. Students in grades 3-8 take the TCAP test each spring...

Child facilities gain support from planners (06/24/11)
Bedford County Planning Commission has recommended that child care facilities be allowed as special exceptions in the A-1 (agriculture) and R-1 (residential) zones; currently, they aren't mentioned in the zoning resolution but would presumably be allowed in commercial zones...

Couple admits cooking meth near 6 children (05/22/11)
A local couple pleaded guilty Wednesday to child endangerment charges stemming from a case where officers found six kids living in a home with a meth lab. Sandra Jean and David Gordon Mortimer, both 34, pleaded to five counts of child endangerment and will serve 60 days, plus pay court costs within 10 months. The pair were sentenced to 11 months, 29 days at 75 percent for each count, but the terms were all suspended except for the 60 days...

Johnson court date scheduled for June (05/19/11)
The case of a Normandy man charged with first degree murder for the death of his infant son last fall has been continued until next month. Andrew Keith Johnston, 18, will make his next appearance before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on June 20...

Father charged in baby's death (04/19/11)
A Normandy man was indicted on charges of first degree murder for the death of his infant son last fall. Andrew Keith Johnston, 18, was arraigned Monday before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on the charges, and is set to appear again on May 16. Johnston was accused last October of abusing 1-month-old William Johnston after emergency personnel were called to a residence on Normandy Road on Oct. 15, 2010...

Porn leads to life in jail (04/19/11)
A man who pleaded guilty to having nearly 2,000 images of child pornography on his computer will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison. David Wayne Phillips, 44, received a 35-year sentence on Monday for 26 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, which he pleaded guilty to in February...

Meth lab suspects' children removed (04/01/11)
A mother and father who have faced multiple child endangerment charges since last year were given another continuance until methamphetamine charges are settled in Circuit Court. Meanwhile, custody of their children has already been taken away due to reported "severe abuse."...

Babysitter sold drugs near child (04/01/11)
A Shelbyville babysitter is facing child endangerment charges after allegedly taking an infant in her care to an undercover drug buy. Casondra Rae Wiser, 24 of Fairground Heights, Shelbyville has been charged with two counts of child endangerment, two counts of possession of schedule VI for resale and violation of probation. She is being held at the Bedford County jail under $19,500...

Johnson case doesn't go to grand jury (03/22/11)
The case of a Normandy man accused of abusing his infant son, who later died, was not presented to the March session of the Bedford County grand jury. Instead, Andrew Keith Johnston, 18, will appear before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler when the jury meets again on April 18...

Alexander sees possible cut in number of tests (03/18/11)
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Republican from Tennessee, and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, are forming a task force to study ways to reduce and simplify federal education regulations, and perhaps to reduce the number of tests taken by students in order to leave more time for teaching...

Johnston goes to grand jury (03/15/11)
Testimony about a written confession and an autopsy report was enough for a judge to submit a Normandy man's case to Bedford County's grand jury on charges he abused his 1-month old son, who later died of his injuries. Andrew Keith Johnston, 18, was accused last October of abusing William Johnston after emergency personnel were called to a residence on Normandy Road...

Child in DCS custody after parents arrested (03/01/11)
A 1-year-old child was turned over to the Department of Children's Services after her parents -- both drunk and one passed out -- were arrested Friday outside Walmart, police said. Gary Andrew Hackler and Sarah Catherine Hackler, both 30, of Rockwood were charged with possession of a schedule II drug after officers responded to a report of a shoplifter...

Alleged obscene texts result in grand jury indictment (02/15/11)
A Wartrace man accused of multiple child pornography counts was indicted by the Bedford County grand jury on Monday. James Norman Pollock Jr., 41, of Wartrace-Bell Buckle Road, faces nine counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and solicitation of a minor by electronic means...

Life term possible in child porn case (02/15/11)
A Shelbyville man could be facing as much as a 256-year sentence after pleading guilty Monday to having nearly 2,000 images of child pornography. David Wayne Phillips, who had been scheduled to stand trial for 26 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor on May 6, will appear before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on March 21 for a sentencing hearing on the charges...

Hansen child support asked (01/20/11)
A court in Russia is demanding that a former Shelbyville resident pay $2,500 a month in child support for the care of the boy she sent back to his homeland. Meanwhile, the family at the center of the controversy has a new lawyer. Legal wrangling continues in the case of the boy returned to Moscow by adoptive mother Torry Hansen, with an official from that country now claiming that she is refusing to give up her parental rights and does not want to pay child support...

School system report card will be delayed to January (12/17/10)
State education officials said Wednesday that the adequate yearly progress, or AYP, and school system report cards will be delayed until January. Officials had hoped to release the reports next week, but some school systems asked that they not be released while schools were out of session and school personnel might not be available to respond to the public queries...

Mental check denied abuser (12/08/10)
A woman already sentenced to 12 years for child abuse was denied a motion for a mental evaluation. Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler ruled Monday that Angela Venise Scruggs, 36, did not need an evaluation, due to the fact she had already had one before she entered a guilty plea in September for severely burning an 13-month-old child...

Porn file trial set for convicted child rapist (12/07/10)
A trial date has been set for next May for a man accused of possessing around 2,000 child pornography files on his computer. Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler set a trial date of May 6 for David Wayne Phillips, 44, who was charged with 26 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in a direct indictment in October...

Violence, tragedy hit children hard across Bedford (11/18/10)
According to the annual Kids Count report released this month by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, Bedford County has infant mortality twice as bad as the state average, a rate of substantiated child abuse that is nearly twice the state average and a rate of teen violent deaths that is nearly twice the state average...

Bond hiked on father of dead child (11/02/10)
The bond against a Normandy man accused of abusing his 1-month old son -- who later died -- was more than doubled last week. Meanwhile, sheriff's department investigators are awaiting results from the state medical examiner before upgrading charges against him...

Fun, safety at the park (10/26/10)
United Way of Bedford County will hold its annual Child Safety Fun Fair Saturday at H.V. Griffin Park, immediately following the annual Spooktacular 5K Run and at the same time as Jostens Harvest Hoopla, a fund-raiser to benefit United Way. Child Safety Fun Fair will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, and will include free ID kits and fingerprinting, as well as free child seat safety checks by certified Tennessee Highway Patrol officers, as well as fun activities and booths for the family...

Month-old baby dies of injuries (10/24/10)
A Normandy man could be facing more serious charges after the 1-month old son he is accused of abusing died Friday morning. William Johnson died at 8:52 a.m. Friday after doctors at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville removed him from life support Thursday night, said Detective Captain Becky Hord of Bedford County Sheriff's Department...

Father accused of injuring baby (10/19/10)
A 1-month old boy is clinging to life in a Nashville hospital with severe head injuries and his father has been charged with inflicting them. Andrew Keith Johnston, 18, of Troupe Lane, Normandy, was arrested Sunday and charged with aggravated child abuse. He is being held under $100,000 bond and is set to appear before General Sessions Judge Charles Rich on Nov. 24...

Porn suspect indicted after 2,000 files found (10/19/10)
A man already serving 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting two children last year was indicted by the Bedford County grand jury Monday after investigators allegedly found around 2,000 child pornography files on his computer. David Wayne Phillips, 44, was charged with 26 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after a sealed indictment was handed down by the grand jury...

Child porn suspect makes court appearance (10/01/10)
A Wartrace man charged with multiple child pornography counts is due in court at the end of next month after making his first appearance Wednesday. James Norman Pollock Jr., 41, of Wartrace-Bell Buckle Road, faces 15 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of solicitation of a minor by electronic means and production and distribution of obscene material...

Child endangerment case continued to '11 (09/26/10)
A child endangerment case against a Shelbyville couple has been continued until next year. A hearing was to take place Friday for Sandra Jean Mortimer and David Gordon Mortimer, both 33, of Central Avenue, who both face multiple counts of child endangerment for allegedly operating a methamphetamine lab in their home...

'Evil came out' in child abuse case (09/14/10)
A Shelbyville woman will spend the next 12 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to severely burning an 13-month-old child. Angela Venise Scruggs, 36, of Stanley Boulevard was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler for aggravated child abuse on Monday...

Child porn suspect used chat room, texts (09/09/10)
A Wartrace man is facing multiple child pornography counts after confessing to urging a local teen to send nude photos of herself. The sheriff's department investigator who handles these crimes is urging parents to keep a sharp eye on their children's texting and online activities...

Appeals court backs decision in child porn case (08/04/10)
A Shelbyville man who pled guilty last year to possessing thousands of child pornography images lost an appeal that claimed his sentence was too harsh. The Court of Criminal Appeals of Tennessee upheld the prison term of Walter Jude Dec, who was sentenced to 12 years last March by Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler...

Former Moore Co. education leader faces prison term in child porn case (02/24/10)
The former chairman of the Moore County Board of Education was sentenced to seven years in prison Monday for the possession of child pornography. David Camp, 44, of Stewart Hollow Road, Lynchburg, was sentenced in Chattanooga by District Court Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr....

Shelbyville man guilty in child pornography case (02/10/10)
A Shelbyville man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for downloading video files containing child pornography. Richard James Kunna Jr., 20, appeared in Chattanooga Monday before District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr., who passed a sentence of 60 months for one count of possession of child pornography...

School system makes the grade, but two schools on target list (10/16/09)
Bedford County Board of Education, meeting Thursday night, continued its discussion of the adequate yearly progress (AYP) results for local schools for the last school year. School Superintendent Ed Gray made a presentation of school-by-school results...

Marijuana, stolen gun found after traffic stop (05/03/08)
A gun stolen 15 years ago was recovered during a traffic stop late Thursday night, Shelbyville police said. Officer Jody Shelton said he stopped the car occupied by driver Jake Allen Raby, 22, East Lane Street, and passenger Damon Juvea Hickmon, 21, King Arthur Trailer Court, due to no headlights in use at night. A strong odor of marijuana was coming from the...

Foster mother accused of statutory rape (05/03/08)
A Shelbyville foster mother has been indicted by the Bedford County grand jury for allegedly having sex with a foster child she had access to. Alea Rhea Rippy, 25, has been charged with eight counts of statutory rape by an authority figure, according to true bills issued by the grand jury on April 21...

'I just want to have a normal life,' says teen on dialysis (03/22/08)
Shana Mosavi is like any 17-year-old girl. She loves to talk on the phone with her friends, dreams of going to college and would love to get married and have a family one day. But unlike most teenage girls, Shana was born with a rare physical disorder, Vater Syndrome -- and doctors didn't expect her to live beyond age 5...

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