By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
The Lafayette County grand jury convicted a Harmontown man accused of molesting several children and his wife for knowing about the abuse and failing to report it.
The September grand jury indicted John Westmoreland, 49, on six charges of touching a child for lustful purposes and one count of sexual battery.
Sherry Westmoreland, 60, was charged with six counts of child neglect.
The two pleaded not guilty during their arraignment last week at the Lafayette County Detention Center.
According to the indictment, John Westmoreland allegedly molested several girls under the age of 12 between May 2014 and August 2016 while the girls were at the Westmoreland’s home at 17 CR 508 in Harmontown.
Sherry Westmoreland ran a babysitting service and the reported victims attended the home daycare that was not licensed by the state, according to court records.
The investigation began in July after one of the victims reported the alleged abuse to their parents. Then another five reported victims came forward with claims that John had molested them.
John Westmoreland remains at the Lafayette County Detention Center on a $750,000 bond. Sherry Westmoreland was given a $500,000 bond but has since bonded out of jail.
