JACKSON COUNTY, Ala. — A 23-year-old Alabama woman will spend just one year behind bars after being convicted of abusing two toddlers so severely that both required medical attention.
Samantha Woods was sentenced on June 25 to two consecutive 10-year prison terms for two counts of willful child abuse. However, nearly all of her sentence will be served under house arrest, Jackson County prosecutors confirmed this week.
The case began when law enforcement responded to a domestic dispute between Woods and her partner at a home in Scottsboro, about 40 miles east of Huntsville. A neighbor who heard the disturbance called police, leading officers to discover signs of child abuse in the home.
Investigators determined that two 18-month-old children had been abused and neglected. Authorities have not disclosed the precise nature of the injuries, but the victims’ young ages have drawn significant attention and concern.
Jackson County Assistant District Attorney Krystina Jackson condemned the notion that abusing very young children might somehow be “less harmful.”
“The children’s age has been talked about like it’s a good thing, like it’s better to abuse babies because ‘maybe they won’t remember,’” Jackson told the Jackson County Sentinel. “The truth is we have no idea the damage that has been done… when those children are put to bed at night, we don’t know if they feel safe and loved or if they will always remember what it is like to be left dirty, alone, and in pain.”
In court, Jackson County Circuit Judge Brent Benson praised the neighbor whose call brought the case to light.
“Thank God for nosey neighbors,” the judge said. “I am convinced that if it had not been for those neighbors that heard your domestic [incident] and called the police, I don’t know what would have happened to your children. I am convinced your children wouldn’t have gotten help. I don’t know what 18-month-old children remember, but maybe one day they’ll remember that a nosey neighbor may have saved their lives.”
Once Woods completes her prison sentence, she will serve five years of supervised probation and must complete parenting classes as ordered by the court.
Jackson County District Attorney Jason Pierce said the conviction underscores his office’s commitment to protecting vulnerable children.
“This conviction sends a clear message: the abuse of children will not be tolerated in Jackson County,” Pierce told The Clarion. “Protecting our children is not just a priority, it is a sacred duty. Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, free from fear and harm.”
