Lexington, SC 08/09/2024 – According to Eleventh Circuit Solicitor Rick Hubbard’s office, Shayna N. McKnight, age 38, has been sentenced to twelve years in prison following her conviction on charges of child physical abuse. Circuit Court Judge Heath P. Taylor imposed the sentence following a 4-day jury trial in Lexington County General Sessions Court this week. McKnight was convicted by the jury on all charges.
McKnight was sentenced to twelve years on the charge of Inflicting Great Bodily Injury upon a Child and sentenced to five 5 years concurrent on two counts of Unlawful Conduct towards a Child. Under South Carolina law, McKnight will not be eligible for parole.
McKnight was employed as a caregiver at Windsor Academy Child Development Center located at 952 Old Cherokee Road in Lexington County. Windsor Academy was a licensed childcare facility offering daycare services for infants and preschool children. It is no longer in operation.
This case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes and Assistant Solicitor Whitney Yongue Taylor. The case was investigated by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Unit.
On March 11, 2022, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department was notified that a 10-month-old infant was being treated at Prisma Children’s Hospital for a fractured tibia (left leg bone). The infant’s mother reported to law enforcement that she was called to pick up her daughter at Windsor Academy earlier that day after she was injured at their facility.
Lexington County Sheriff’s Department investigators arrived at Windsor Academy on March 15, 2022 and requested a copy of the surveillance video. Windsor Academy was unable to provide investigators with the surveillance video. A search warrant was subsequently executed by law enforcement to obtain the full DVR system from Windsor Academy. A forensic examination of the DVR system by an expert forensic analyst led to the recovery of a video recording from the date of the child’s leg injury. A review of the video surveillance on March 11, 2022, depicted Shayna McKnight carrying out multiple acts of aggression towards the infant victim.
Testimony during the trial included law enforcement officers and an emergency room physician. A co-worker testified that Shayna McKnight placed the infant victim into a crib and stated: “I flipped her over by her leg and heard a pop.” The co-worker then examined the victim’s left leg with McKnight. Testimony established that the victim did not resume crawling and was unable to bear weight on her left leg after this event on the morning of March 11, 2022. Expert testimony at trial explained that a spiral fracture of the leg occurs due to a forceful, twisting motion and is consistent with child physical abuse in an infant this age.
Upon further examination of the video surveillance by law enforcement, McKnight was observed to improperly lift the victim from the floor by one arm with force. Bruising was noted to the victim’s arm and leg when she was photographed at Prisma Children’s Hospital on the night of March 11th. Video surveillance also depicted McKnight placing a blanket tightly over the infant’s mouth for an extended period of time.
Video surveillance from March 11th also revealed that McKnight had restrained a 9-month-old infant by wrapping a blanket around his arms, legs, and feet. The infant was placed into a crib on his stomach, while immobilized, for an extended period of nearly two hours. Testimony presented at trial established this was an unsafe sleep practice and that it posed the risk of suffocation or aspiration.
In addition to the charges from March 11th, 2022, McKnight was also charged with Cruelty to Children for other acts of aggression towards separate infants on March 1st, March 7th, and March 9th of 2022. McKnight was convicted of these separate charges on June 20, 2023.
Following the trial, family members of both child victims addressed the Court regarding sentencing. The mother of the 10-month-old infant described the testimony she heard as “heart shattering.” Her daughter remained in a non-walking cast for weeks following her leg fracture. Both families said they are unable to trust others with childcare after these events at Windsor Academy.
Eleventh Circuit Deputy Solicitor Suzanne Mayes stated, “McKnight was entrusted with the care of these vulnerable and innocent children. She violated that trust and carried out acts of abuse which cannot be tolerated in any community. We are thankful for the work of all law enforcement and medical professionals in bringing this case to light.”
McKnight is being transferred to the S.C. Department of Corrections to begin immediate service of her sentence.
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