A Georgia woman faces a lengthy prison sentence after her child confided in an elementary school teacher about enduring physical abuse, including leg beatings and choking, as confirmed by prosecutors. Additionally, the child suffered repeated strikes to the forehead with a belt.

“The real heroes here are the schoolteachers,” stated Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway in a statement regarding Candice McClure’s sentencing. “They identified the signs of abuse and provided a safe environment for the child to speak out,” Treadaway added.

Candice McClure, 35, from Lenox, received a 40-year prison term after a jury convicted her of aggravated assault and child cruelty during a four-day trial, as reported by the district attorney’s office. Authorities noted that McClure had been abusing her child for nearly a decade and had previously faced child cruelty charges in 2016.

The conviction followed a report from the child in 2023, which led to a Child Services investigation revealing the extent of the abuse.

“A Cherokee County elementary school teacher raised concerns about potential child abuse involving a student,” according to the district attorney’s office. “The student confided in the teacher, revealing that McClure had kicked and punched their legs and ‘choked’ them. This disclosure led to an investigation by the Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) and the Canton Police Department into McClure’s actions.”

DFCS officials conducted an unexpected visit to McClure’s residence as part of the investigation. During this visit, a DFCS worker documented evidence of bruises on the child’s leg and a distinct injury pattern on the forehead.

“The child was transported to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where medical providers documented significant bruising on the legs, as well as a patterned injury on the forehead consistent with being struck by a belt,” the DA’s office explained.

The child later participated in a forensic interview, during which the child provided additional information. “The family was new to Cherokee County, and we believe the abuse had been ongoing before the family arrived,” the DA’s office said.

McClure’s indictment, which was viewed by Law&Crime, says she used her hands to strangle her child “by applying pressure to the neck and throat.” It also says she “maliciously” caused “cruel and excessive physical and mental pain” by strangling the child and striking them repeatedly on their legs.

During the trial, jurors heard testimony from a dozen witnesses, including the victim, other family members, law enforcement, medical providers, child advocacy experts, DFCS personnel, and Cherokee County School District personnel. Prosecutors introduced 20 exhibits, including a recorded forensic interview of the child, photographs of the victim’s injuries, and documentation from school personnel that helped convict McClure.

The jury deliberated for just two and a half hours before returning its verdict.

“At trial and during sentencing, the state referenced the defendant’s prior difficulties, including medical evidence and photographs documenting injuries to the same child in another county in 2016,” the DA’s office recounted. “The child was 4 years old at that time.”

News reports published by The Valdosta Daily Times and Thomasville Times-Enterprise in 2016 describe how McClure’s child was taken to a medical center two different times that year with “unexplainable” bruises and scrapes covering their body “from head to toe.”

The child delivered a victim impact statement at McClure’s sentencing last week, accompanied by an adoptive parent, a victim advocate, and their service dog Parker “who provided comfort and support,” according to the DA’s office.

“The child expressed appreciation for being ‘heard’ by the jury and told the defendant that no one deserves to be treated in that manner,” the office said. “Judge Wallace then acknowledged the child’s trauma on the record before imposing the maximum sentence allowed under Georgia law.”

Treadaway described the child’s trauma and abuse as “heartbreaking” in her statement announcing McClure’s sentence.

“Instead of protecting her own child, the defendant repeatedly inflicted abuse that caused lasting harm,” Treadaway said. “This conviction and sentence send a clear message that Cherokee County will not tolerate the abuse of children and will hold offenders accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”