Stickley pleads guilty to attempted criminal child abuse, receives probation
By Becky Uehling
Grant Tribune-Sentinel
Nineteen-year-old Courtney Stickley of Ogallala pled guilty Friday, Oct. 21 in Perkins County District Court to an amended charge of attempted criminal child abuse, a Class IV felony, and received 12 months of probation. The charge stems from an incident on April 25. Stickley was initially charged with negligent child abuse.
According to an arrest affidavit, Stickley abused a toddler and filmed it on Snapchat during work hours at Hugs-N-Teddy Bears Daycare in Grant.
According to the arrest affidavit, on June 13 Sergeant Brian Gertsch with the Perkins County Sheriff’s Office, was investigated an assault of a 20-month-old male.
The boy’s mother became in possession of the Snapchat video and reported the incident to law enforcement.
According to the affidavit, the Snapchat video shows a person, believed to be Stickley, sweeping the boy’s feet out from behind him, causing him to fall and land on the floor, striking his buttocks, back and head before he cried.
Sergeant Gertsch stated in the affidavit this was believed to be done knowingly and intentionally as the video started recording prior to the incident.
Two former employees of the daycare, who were interviewed during the investigation, identified Stickley in the video based on her attire. The former employees were also able to identify the toddler room of the daycare the film was taken in based on the items seen in the background.
On June 24, Sergeant Gertsch attempted to schedule an interview with Stickley but she claimed “to be too busy to do so for the next two to three weeks,” according to the affidavit.
However, the next day, Stickley was stopped in Grant on a reckless driving complaint and was arrested by the Perkins County Sheriff’s Office for the child abuse charge.
Stickley was taken to the Keith County jail where she posted bail.
During her plea hearing on Oct. 21, Perkins County District Judge Michael Piccolo explained the charges were reduced because the criminal act was a first for Stickley, stating he felt the incident was a “severe lack of judgment” by Stickley. Piccolo advised Stickley the felony charge would affect her for a long time.
During her 12 months of probation, which Stickley will serve in Keith County, she will be subject to random testing and search, must refrain from alcohol and non-prescribed medications or drugs usage, undergo counseling at the discretion of the probation officer and must write a letter of apology to the victim’s family, who was in the courtroom during the plea hearing.
As part of her punishment, Stickley will also be responsible for paying all court costs.
The state was represented by Deputy Perkins County Attorney Gary Burke, while Stickley was represented by attorneys Steve Elmshaeuser and Robert Harvoy.