On March 8th, 2022, James Carpenter Jr. appeared in Bradley County Sessions Court, following a charge of 27 counts of child neglect, regarding a fire at Little Lambs Daycare on February 10th, 2022.
Ultimately, Judge Sheridan Randolph dismissed the 27 counts of child neglect against the daycare employee, due to his interpretation of the law regarding legal custody. Judge Randolph ruled the statue isn’t broad enough for this charge.
District Attorney General Steve Crump stated, “Judge Sheridan Randolph ruled that the children were “not in the custody” of the daycare and therefore the statue doesn’t apply. We obviously disagree with this ruling. Our office will be presenting the case to a grand jury in its next term.”
Sheriff Steve Lawson followed with “We are truly disappointed in this ruling. I am confident that our deputies and detectives performed efficiently and executed their job well. The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely with the 10th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and present the case to a grand jury as soon as possible.”
