The pastor and the former daycare director at First United Methodist Church in Hopkinville are both now charged in connection to the January child abuse case. The Christian County Grand Jury Friday indicted Senior Pastor Paige Williams and Abby Leach on first-degree complicity to criminal abuse of a child under 12 years of age.
According to the indictments, Williams and Leach intentionally breached their legal duty to protect at least seven children who were being cared for at the daycare. The children, whose initials are listed on the indictment, are all under 13 months of age.
The indictments accuse Williams and Leach of failing to prevent former daycare employee, Allison Simpson from intentionally abusing the children. The indictments also say their breach of legal duty placed the children in a situation that might cause serious physical injury, torture, cruel confinement or cruel punishment at the hands of Simpson.
Simpson was indicted in April on two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and second-degree criminal abuse of a child under 12 years of age. An arrest warrant filed by Hopkinsville Police says Simpson allegedly subjected an 8-month old and a 10-month old to cruel care and confinement on January 10 of this year at the First United Methodist Church daycare.
Last month, Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling announced during Simpson’s pretrial conference there will be a superseding indictment against Simpson to replace the existing charges lodged against her.
Reports indicate that Senior Pastor Williams has been placed on medical leave.
