DeKalb County: Former daycare worker, 79, pleads guilty in Appletree Learning Center Abuse case

DEKALB COUNTY, GA- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by guilty plea in the case against a former daycare worker charged in connection with alleged abuse at a Stone Mountain facility. 

Today, Cherretta Hull, 79, entered a non-negotiated guilty plea to 19 counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree.

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson, who presided over the plea hearing, sentenced Hull to 30 years to serve 20 in confinement.

The three other defendants in the case pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024, to the following charges:

• Alexis Renee Swain—29 counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree
• Cori Chambers—5 counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree
• Cassandra Artis Chambers—1 count of Failure to Report Suspected Child Abuse

Police opened an investigation into alleged abuse at the daycare facility on June 22, 2022, after a parent reported discovering injuries on her child’s face. 

Investigators reviewed three days’ worth of surveillance video from inside the daycare that revealed ongoing, repeated abuse at the hands of the defendants. 

Surveillance video showed Hull pinching, slapping, and punching babies with a closed fist.  She was also recorded repeatedly handling children in a rough manner by slamming them down onto changing tables, tossing them into cribs, dropping them on the ground, and forcefully picking them up by one arm and dangling them.  Video revealed Defendant Hull’s behavior continued at mealtimes as she fed the children aggressively—shoving food and bottles into their mouths or hitting babies with full bottles of milk. 

Swain was captured hitting, pushing, and shaking some of the children, as well as slamming children onto the floor, changing tables or cots. 

Cori Chambers was also recorded on surveillance video hitting, pushing, and shaking children in her care. 

Cassandra Chambers was the director of the daycare and despite becoming aware of the abuse after reviewing surveillance video herself, did not notify anyone.  Under Georgia law, daycare personnel are considered “mandated reporters” and are required to report suspected child abuse to law enforcement. 

The charges against the defendants are tied to 13 alleged victims who ranged in age from 6 months to almost 3 years old. 

 Cori Chambers was sentenced to 10 years of probation with the first 120 days on house arrest and 80 hours of community service. 

Despite the State’s recommendation of 20 years to serve 15 in confinement, Judge Dear Jackson sentenced Swain to 10 years to serve 5 in custody. 

As conditions of their sentences, all four defendants cannot care for any children in a commercial or at-home setting, except their own relatives. 

The case, assigned to the Child Crimes Unit (formerly the Sexual Exploitation and Crimes Against Children Unit), was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Lauren Caldwell with assistance from Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Michael Coveney; Senior Assistant District Attorney Shannon Hodder; Supervising Victim Advocate Yuzellie Garcia; Victim Advocate Valencia Breedlove; and Victim Advocate Jenaiya Coleman.   Former DeKalb County Police Department Det. M. Hughes led the initial investigation.  

Booking photos via DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.