Kristy Cooley was convicted of aggravated battery, child cruelty and evidence tampering after prosecutors presented evidence of prolonged abuse.
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County mother was sentenced to 80 years, with 40 years to serve in prison, after a jury convicted her of repeatedly abusing her 9-year-old daughter, according to court reporting and prosecutors involved in the case.
Kristy Cooley was found guilty of two counts of aggravated battery, eight counts of first-degree cruelty to children and two counts of tampering with evidence. Jurors had recommended a sentence totaling 242 years before the judge imposed the 80-year sentence, requiring Cooley to spend 40 years behind bars.
The prosecution presented evidence describing a pattern of physical abuse, deprivation and medical neglect that stretched back years. Assistant District Attorney Megan Matteucci said a doctor who testified during the case characterized what happened to the child as torture involving physical and psychological abuse as well as medical neglect. Photographs recovered from Cooley’s cellphone showed the girl with a black eye when she was about 5 or 6 years old, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the girl was sometimes confined to her bedroom for days and was deprived of regular access to food and a bathroom. Evidence presented in the case also showed that cameras had been installed throughout the home and were used to monitor the child’s activity. The prosecution said Cooley could watch the camera feeds while away from the home and respond when the girl did something she considered unacceptable.
The state’s evidence described punishments after the child tried to leave her room to find food. Prosecutors said the girl was restrained and subjected to repeated physical abuse. A doctor who reviewed the child’s condition testified about the combined effects of the physical mistreatment, psychological abuse and lack of medical care. The most disturbing details were presented to jurors as part of the state’s case leading to the convictions.
Assistant District Attorney Dallas Cox said an online teacher played a critical role in bringing the situation to authorities. The teacher noticed warning signs during required student check-ins and contacted law enforcement. That report became a key step in exposing conditions inside the home and moving the case into the criminal justice system.
Prosecutors said the girl was the middle child in the household and was the only child targeted in the pattern of abuse described at trial. The child’s stepfather had also been expected to face prosecution but died before he could stand trial. His death ended the criminal case against him without a determination of guilt.
The case also raised questions about earlier contact between the family and Georgia’s child welfare system. State Division of Family & Children Services workers had contact with the household when the girl was a toddler, according to reporting on the case. Prosecutors said there was little follow-up after that earlier contact. The available reporting does not establish what information child welfare workers had at the time or whether they knew of the later conduct presented at Cooley’s trial.
Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said the case underscored the importance of adults recognizing signs that a child may be in danger. Her office pointed to community resources available to families and credited the intervention that ultimately brought authorities into the case.
Authorities had not announced which state prison would house Cooley after sentencing. Officials also had not publicly confirmed the girl’s current custody arrangement. The criminal case against Cooley has now resulted in convictions and a sentence requiring her to serve 40 years in prison.
Author note: Last updated October 31, 2026.