By Ashley Wiehle
News-Leader
July 25, 2008
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080725/NEWS01/807250373
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| Laura Kirkland |
Woman denies allegations made by 11-year-old child.
A Springfield day-care worker and teacher has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sodomy of a now 11-year-old boy who said the woman --his baby sitter --repeatedly assaulted him over a two-year period.
Laura Kirkland, 25, was being held in the Greene County Jail Thursday evening in lieu of $75,000 bond after being arrested Wednesday night. She is charged with two counts of statutory sodomy with a person less than 14 years old and one count of statutory rape with a person less than 14 years old.
As a condition of her bond, Kirkland can have no contact with the victim or any child under 17 and may not be anywhere children congregate. Court records classify her as a "danger to other children she has access to."
Court records indicate that Kirkland is accused of having sexual intercourse and oral sex with the boy repeatedly for two years when the boy was 8 to 10 years old.
The boy said in a July 21 interview with the Child Advocacy Center and a Springfield police officer that he was "scared when she would do this to him," according to a probable cause statement filed by the Springfield Police Department.
The incidents of abuse allegedly occurred between July 12, 2006, and July 12 this year. Court records say these incidents happened at Kirkland's house on West Lee Street while she baby-sat the victim.
The probable cause statement says Kirkland admitted to a Springfield police officer that she performed oral sex on the minor three times and had sexual intercourse twice when the victim was 10 years old.
Kirkland was employed by Nurturing Place in Springfield and as a fifth-grade teacher for Christian Schools of Springfield.
Jessica Holland, owner of Nurturing Place in Springfield, declined to comment on the charges other than to say she was "beyond shocked."
Holland said Kirkland has been dismissed from her position at the day care.
Kirkland was also employed as a fifth-grade teacher at Christian Schools of Springfield, which is operated by the Baptist Temple Church.
"We are just absolutely devastated by the news of this and just trying to wrap our brains and hearts around this," said Mark Rounsaville, senior pastor at Baptist Temple Church.
Rounsaville said Kirkland had worked as a teacher at the school for three years, but would not be returning this fall.
Kirkland is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Aug. 26. She will be represented by a Greene County public defender.
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