Daleville, Ala. — A former daycare worker from Daleville, who is facing multiple charges of child abuse, has been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation as part of the legal proceedings ahead of her trial.
Kailey Gilley, 24, is accused of abusing children while employed at Happy Hearts Christian Academy Daycare. The charges against her include six counts of aggravated child abuse and four counts of child abuse-torture. The alleged incidents, which involve children younger than six, were reported to have occurred at different times during her employment at the daycare.
Gilley’s attorney, Tiffany White, confirmed that the defendant was evaluated by Spectra Care while in custody and diagnosed with certain mental health conditions. White suggests that these conditions may have been present at the time of the alleged abuse. As a result, the court has ordered a mental evaluation to determine whether Gilley is mentally fit and competent to stand trial, as well as whether she is capable of assisting in her own defense.
The charges against Gilley stem from video footage obtained by the Daleville Police Department, which allegedly shows her and her former coworker, Magan Koker, physically abusing children in the classroom. The footage reportedly shows the women hitting children, which led to their arrests in early September. While Gilley was initially released on bond, she was rearrested on additional charges.
Both Gilley and Koker face separate grand jury indictments, with the abuse reportedly taking place over multiple incidents. Koker, however, has not been ordered to undergo a mental evaluation, and her trial is currently scheduled for early May.
If the mental evaluation determines that Gilley is not mentally competent to stand trial, a state psychologist will be tasked with recommending a treatment plan. This will include evaluating whether Gilley can achieve mental competency to stand trial at a later date.
The case continues to draw attention as the community awaits further developments.
