Warning: Video and testimony included in this story may be disturbing to some readers.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The daughter of the Montgomery County Sheriff is now a convicted child abuser.

On Thursday, a jury found Sarah Fuson guilty, just hours after she told them she never meant to hurt a toddler in her care.

"I know it happens fast because you push her down so hard, but watch where her head strikes," the prosecution said in court before playing one of the videos submitted as evidence.

For the first time, jurors heard from Fuson, the woman seen in the videos repeatedly pushing a 13-month-old onto a cot at a daycare center in January 2023.

"Would you have continued to keep slamming her head down the way you did if she continued to pop back up?" the prosecution attorney asked Fuson.

"I feel like after that eighth time I probably would've picked her up and held her, because it was so many times, and it wasn't working," she responded.

Fuson pleaded not guilty to child abuse, neglect, and endangerment charges.

Video footage also showed Fuson pushing that same child against a table.

"It does look a little rough, I will agree with that," Fuson said. "But I wasn't intentionally being rough with her."

"There were bruises on the arms, and there could have been bruising on the abdomen," Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Karen Lakin, explained. "But I don't know who examined her on that day."

However, what concerned investigators most was the video where the toddler appears to go limp after being repeatedly pushed onto the cot.

"I believe you said she was restless, which is why you were laying her back down. Is that what you said?" the prosecution asked. "Yes, sir," Fuson answered.

"Would you ever intentionally hurt a child?" the defense countered. "No, sir," Fuson responded.

Doctors testified about what they found in the CT scan and what they didn't.

Scans showed areas that could suggest a skull fracture or concussion, but experts noted no scalp swelling or soft tissue injury.

"I still don't believe she was handled roughly enough on that cot to break her skull," testified Dr. Evan Matshes.

"What can be interpreted as symptoms of a concussion can also be interpreted as a 13-month-old," Dr. Lakin explained.

"When you did your study, did you see any signs of scalp swelling or hemorrhage in that area?" Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Madeleine Hinkes was asked. "I did not," she responded.

After three days of testimony and nearly three hours of deliberation, the jury unanimously ruled Fuson guilty of aggravated child abuse and child abuse charges — a Class A Felony.

She was taken into custody in the courtroom, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 11.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/it-does-look-a-little-rough-montgomery-county-sheriffs-daughter-found-guilty-of-child-abuse-after-disturbing-daycare-videos-shown-in-court/