Tonya Craft, 37, a former kindergarten teacher in Chickamauga, Georgia, stands accused of 22 criminal counts – 10 counts of child molestation, 6 counts of aggravated sexual battery and 6 counts of aggravated child molestation. She has maintained her innocence since she was arrested in June, 2008. Her trial, now in it’s 13th day, is putting that claim to the test.
Seven of Craft’s former co-workers testified on Wednesday on her behalf, stating that they never saw anything out of the ordinary in Craft’s relationship with the young girls she is accused of molesting. Defense attorney Cary S. King asked Craft’s fellow teachers for their opinions and observations of Craft. King also questioned them about the school rules regarding ”mandatory reporters” – those in positions that legally require them to report abuse.
One of these “mandatory reporters,” Former Chickamauga Elementary School principal Nancy Gurganus, told the court that she frequently dropped by all of her teacher’s classrooms, including Crafts, unannounced to observe. Regarding Craft’s classroom she said, “It was always a normal classroom setting.”
The school’s nurse, Danita Breeden, agreed that there was never any evidence that the alleged victims had any kind of an unusual relationship with Craft. This testimony was given more weight by a Walker County sheriff’s detective, Caroline Cobb, who took the stand on Wednesday and made it clear that she believes that children could be considered reliable and honest when it came to telling adults what happened with their bodies.
The defense’s case rests on the idea that the allegations against Craft were whipped up out of jealousy and spurned friendship by the mother of one of Craft’s students. According to Dee Potter, a friend of Craft’s who testified on her behalf, the woman deeply resented Craft’s souring relationship with her husband and had been prone to bitter outbursts on the subject shortly before she started her campaign to stir up controversy and accusations against Craft.
The trial continues today.
