Seven Charged in Connection to Disabled Person Abuse

Seven are charged in connection to the alleged abuse of a disabled person earlier this month.

The Rabun County Sheriff’s Office announced the charges in the case of the alleged abuse of twenty two year old Ashley Hamilton Wednesday afternoon, following a search warrant being executed at the home of Ashley’s mother, Kelly Sue Hamilton on Friday.

Chief Investigator with the Sheriff’s Office Gerald Johnson said their investigation led them to charge twenty seven year old Jesse Terrell Shedd of Clayton with Disabled Person Abuse and Battery under the Family Violence Act.

“Jesse Terrell Shedd was left alone with Ashley Hamilton for a certain period of time, and our best analysis of that would be within a couple of hours,” said Johnson. “During that two hour time frame, we don’t really know exactly to what extent the abuse occurred, but the facts and circumstances led us to believe that he did inflict substantial visible bodily injury on Hamilton.”

Also charged with disabled person abuse is Shedd’s girlfriend, Tabatha Adkins, and Ashley’s mother, Kelly Sue Hamilton.

Kelly Hamilton’s financee Richard Foss, Ashley’s home healthcare nurse Constance Denise Rogers, Ashley’s aunt Julie Ann Stevenson, and Ashley’s step grandmother Peggy Wall were all charged with Reckless Conduct.

Johnson said his office understands that provisions have been made for Ashley Hamilton to be cared for and protected pending the outcome of the investigation.