CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — A jury deliberated for three hours and found a Kennesaw couple guilty of child abuse.

Derrick Lenard Bessix and Allison Catherine Keener, both of Kennesaw, will be sentenced next month. Their 4-month-old son had multiple leg fractures, which led to the case.

On Aug. 26, Cherokee County District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said the jury found Bessix guilty of cruelty to children in the second degree and contributing to the dependency of a minor. Keener was found guilty of contributing to the dependency of a minor, for failing to provide proper parental care.

The case stems back to September 2020. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office began investigating when a pediatrician saw signs of child abuse during the infant's 4-month checkup.

The DA's office said the couple

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