The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

Daily Updates

Discussion

Welcome to our online comments feature. To join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address. Once you do, your comments will post automatically. We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean. We reserve the right to remove comments that are obscene, racist or abusive and statements that are false or unverifiable. Repeat offenders will be blocked. You may flag objectionable comments for review by a moderator.
comments powered by Disqus
April 29, 2010

Tonya Craft trial, day 13: Co-workers say nothing seemed out of ordinary

catwalkchatt.com

RINGGOLD — Seven former co-workers testified Wednesday for Tonya Craft, the former Chickamauga kindergarten teacher accused of molesting three children.

The trial entered its 13th day in Catoosa County Superior Court in downtown Ringgold.

Craft, 37, is facing 22 counts, including 10 counts of child molestation, six counts of aggravated sexual battery and six counts of aggravated child molestation.

She has maintained her innocence since her arrest in June 2008.

She was fired from Chickamauga Elementary School. Her trial began April 12 with the jury selection process and is expected to last four weeks. The jury consists of seven men and five women. Judge Brian House presiding.

Defense attorney Cary S. King asked the co-workers their opinions and observations working with Craft, including her relationships with the girl victims.

Cindy Coulter, a first-grade teacher at Chickamauga Elementary, testified she never observed anything out of the ordinary when Craft was with the girls.

Kimberly Parvin and Sherrod Hart, who also taught with Craft, reiterated Coulter’s testimony, saying they had not seen any abnormal behavior in dealings with Craft.

The defense spoke with each witness about rules regarding “mandatory reporters,” those in a position who are legally required to report abuse.

Former Chickamauga Elementary School principal Nancy Gurganus told the court she would often drop by — not only Craft’s classroom, but all classrooms — unannounced to observe. "It was always a normal classroom setting," Gurganus said.

Chickamauga Elementary School nurse Danita Breeden said she never observed anything out of the ordinary when she would see Craft with her students, specifically the girl victims.

When defense attorney King asked Breeden if she had observed anything from one of the girl victims, who was involved in acting, that would lead her to believe she was afraid of or hated Craft, she replied, "No sir."

Walker County sheriff’s detective Caroline Cobb took the stand at mid-day. Assistant district attorney Chris Arnt, lead prosecutor, asked Cobb if children, in interviews, could be considered reliable when telling about what happened with their bodies. Cobb replied, "Yes, very reliable."

The trial resumed today at 9 a.m.

Text Only