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Nora Rodgers physically abused her three stepchildren, prosecutors said. (Mug shot: Newton County District Attorney’s Office)
A Georgia stepmother will have to serve 30 years in prison for brutally abusing her three stepchildren, going as far as to “spar” with them, withhold food, and force them into “bootcamp”-style exercises.
The Newton County District Attorney’s Office said that a worried family member had come to check on the kids at the home of the defendant, Nora Rodgers, on Oct. 4, 2020. Law enforcement were called out to the residence.
Authorities arrived to find the three stepchildren — aged 6, 8 and 9 — suffering from bruises, swelling and physical marks from Rodgers beating them.
The youngest had it worst, prosecutors said. She dealt with a broken elbow, bruises all over her body, scrapes, swelling and life-threatening internal injuries, prosecutors said.
Authorities said Rodgers subjected the children to physical, mental and emotional abuse.
“Over the years the children had suffered torture under the guise of punishment,” prosecutors wrote. “They were forced to do extreme bootcamp style exercises. They would have to run laps, squats with large logs from the yard, jumping jacks, etc., for extended time periods and to the point of exhaustion and injury. They would often have to perform these exercises in the middle of the night and in the heat of summer. When the exercises were not performed to Rodgers liking, she would then beat them. Rodgers would also spar with children, striking and hitting them. DFCS had previously been involved with the family and had instructed Rodgers she was not to use exercise or corporal punishment at all.”
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The kids were malnourished because Rodgers underfed them, withholding food as “punishment,” authorities said.
She put time limits to their meals and blended their solid foods into one drink so they could eat faster.
Meanwhile, her three biological children, who also lived in the home, did not have the same meal restrictions or face the same “punishments.”
Authorities have put all of the children in foster care.
Rodgers pleaded guilty on Oct. 9 of this year to nine counts of cruelty to children in the first degree. She was sentenced on Dec. 12.
“The dedicated work of the prosecution team led to a result that guarantees that the victims will be well into adulthood before Rodgers gets out of prison,” District Attorney Randy McGinley said. “The DA’s Office sought justice for the victims but also that Rodgers would be in prison long enough that she could not harm these children or any other children. The prosecutors hard work led to a guilty plea with an appropriate sentence without the children having to testify at length and relive the abuse they faced. A special thanks goes to the foster parents who cared for the children after their abuse and family of the children who reported the abuse. While Rodgers put herself above the well-being of the kids, so many others fought for them.”
