A Decatur woman has pleaded guilty to unlawfully restraining an autistic child at the day care she used to work for.
The incident occurred at Decatur Baptist Child Care Center on Dec.14, 2012. Assistant Morgan County District Attorney Garrick Vickery said Amanda Betty McKee, 43, bound an autistic 5-year-old with a blanket. The reasons why she did this weren't clear.
The child was not injured.
McKee was indicted on second-degree unlawful imprisonment in April 2013. This is a Class C misdemeanor. Vickery and the indictment explained the charge basically means her sole purpose was to restrain a child who wasn't hers and it wasn't to assume lawful control, which is against Alabama law.
This charge is not a common one, Vickery said, adding, "This is the first time I've seen it since I've been up here."
McKee pleaded guilty on Friday. Vickery said she received a 30-day suspended sentence and a year's probation.