Two former daycare workers from a Daleville childcare center were sentenced this week to prison after a Dale County judge heard testimony that they took turns hitting a child and abused other youngsters who were too young to ask for help. Circuit Judge Bill Filmore imposed five years in prison on each defendant as part of a 20-year split sentence, followed by 36 months of probation, according to courtroom statements and case filings.
The sentencing caps a case that began in 2024 after a parent brought a bruised and swollen child to a hospital, prompting police to review surveillance video from Happy Hearts Christian Academy Daycare in Daleville. The recordings, investigators said, documented repeated abuse inside a classroom and led to a series of arrests and expanded charges. Prosecutors later secured guilty pleas in 2025, and on Thursday the court handed down punishment, saying victims included toddlers who could not yet speak. Officials said the prison terms are not eligible for parole or early release under the split-sentence structure. The daycare has since closed.
Authorities identified the defendants as Kailey Gilley of Daleville and Magan Koker of Enterprise. The investigation began Sept. 12, 2024, when Daleville police went to Medical Center Enterprise to meet parents who reported injuries to their child after pickup from the daycare. Detectives obtained and reviewed classroom footage and arrested both women in September 2024 on multiple counts of aggravated child abuse, with additional counts added the following month. In October 2025, court records show Gilley pleaded guilty to 10 counts of child abuse and Koker to 12 counts in Dale County Circuit Court. During this week’s two-day hearing, an investigator testified that several children were mistreated and that one child bore the brunt of the assaults over time as the pair “took turns” striking the victim, according to testimony summarized in court.
Parents addressed the judge about ongoing effects on their children, describing night terrors, fear of new caregivers and sudden distress around routine nap times. A mother recounted watching portions of the video that investigators said captured slaps and other blows inside the classroom. The court also heard that many victims were toddlers or infants, limiting the ability of adults to detect problems quickly because some were unable to explain what happened. Prosecutors argued that the abuse unfolded over days and was not a single incident. Defense attorneys, who sought leniency under the split-sentence statute, did not dispute the guilty pleas but asked the court to weigh the defendants’ lack of prior felony records and their time already spent in county jail awaiting sentencing.
Happy Hearts Christian Academy Daycare operated in Daleville when the allegations surfaced. Records and local reports indicate the center closed after the arrests in 2024 and is no longer listed with state child care regulators under that name. Case summaries presented in court referenced classroom cameras as key evidence, along with hospital assessments of bruising and swelling on at least one child. The judge noted the young ages of the victims as an aggravating factor. While rare, similar daycare abuse prosecutions around the country in recent years have also leaned on surveillance footage and coworker reports to document patterns that might otherwise go undetected inside classrooms with nonverbal children.
The sentence structure means Gilley and Koker will each serve five years in state prison before beginning 36 months of supervised probation; the remainder of the 20-year terms is suspended unless a violation occurs. Officials said the terms include no parole or early release. The court also credited jail time already served since the 2024 arrests, though precise calculations were not read aloud in open court. After sentencing, the Dale County District Attorney’s Office said it is coordinating with victim advocates to keep families informed about custody status and any restitution determinations. Any civil claims would proceed separately if families choose to pursue them; none were announced at the hearing. Corrections officials will designate prison intake locations in the coming days.
Outside the courthouse, relatives of the children hugged and wiped away tears as deputies escorted the defendants from a side door. A father said his child startles at sudden noises and resists nap time in a new childcare setting. “We’re taking it one day at a time,” he said, adding that his family plans counseling. A courtroom observer described the room growing silent as the judge referenced victims who “could not ask for help.” The gallery included investigators from Daleville police and state social workers who assisted with interviews and case support in the months after the arrests.
As of Friday, both women remained in custody awaiting transfer to the state prison system. The next procedural step is the issuance of written sentencing orders and transportation schedules. Prosecutors said they do not anticipate additional criminal charges in the case. The court clerk will docket any post-judgment motions within the standard 30-day window, and probation intake is expected to begin upon release from prison terms. Families said they hope to receive copies of restitution forms and victim-impact materials when they are available.
Author note: Last updated January 10, 2026.