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Tonya Craft: Wants Federal Court to Crack Down on Interviews With Children
Three weeks after she was acquitted of molesting three children including her own daughter, a former Georgia teacher has filed a $25 million lawsuit against her accusers, including her ex-husband.
"The lawsuit is set in place to hold people accountable for these false allegations, for this not to happen again," Tonya Craft told "Good Morning America."
Craft, 37, is also suing the parents of the two other children she was accused of molesting during sleepovers with her daughter as well as the sheriff and other county workers who she said "repeatedly and suggestively questioned" the children until they believed she had touched them inappropriately.
The Catoosa County, Ga., Superior Court jury returned its verdict last month after nearly two days of deliberation in the trial. The former Chickamauga Elementary School teacher faced 22 charges of child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and aggravated child molestation.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in hopes a judge will force the court Craft was tried in to change their practices when it comes to interviewing children.
Her lawyer, Demosthenes Lorandos, said Craft's case was a prime example of "incompetent interviewing" of children and that they believe the three children, including Craft's own daughter, were force-fed false memories, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Craft said she is not angry with her 8-year-old daughter for testifying against her.
"I think you get past it as a mother, that you unconditionally love your child," she said.
"She either has memories falsely that have been implanted or she's been manipulated," Craft said. "But it's not her fault."
Likewise, Craft said she considered the other two children victims.
Craft is also suing her ex-husband for full custody of the couple's two children. Her daughter and son, nearly 11, were taken away from her two years ago when the molestation accusations were first leveled against her.
Now living in Tennessee, Craft keeps bedrooms in her home decorated for both of them in case they get to come home.
She has seen them briefly since the trial ended and wears a pendant around her neck with their pictures.
"Every second is cherished," she said of her visits with them.
Tonya Craft: 'I Do Plan on Fighting for Children'
After her arrest in May 2008, Craft was fired from her job. She said she has no desire to return to teaching, but "I do plan on fighting for children."
Craft said she knows some will see her lawsuit as a cash cow and others will always believe she molested the children, despite the acquittal.
"It was a tough row to hoe to save her from these terrible allegations," Lorandos said. "She owes her family a ton of money for her defense that she'd like to recoup."
Craft's mother has said the family spent more than a half a million dollars fighting the charges.
"We mortgaged our home, we threw out all of our savings and 401ks, we sold stock," Betty Faires said.
During the trial the prosecutors alleged that for nearly two years Craft fondled children at her home multiple times, starting in August 2005, all while they were in kindergarten and first grade.
But some court observers said the prosecutors went too far.
"I think that this says that Catoosa County needs to take a real hard look at how they investigate child molesting, child molestation charges," Dennis Norwood, from Chattanoogan.com, said last month.
Craft had maintained that when her daughter's friends spent the night at her house, it was nothing more than an innocent sleepover. But the parents of other children said it was something far more sinister: They claimed Craft molested their kids several times.
The allegations sparked a trial that shocked the small community of Ringgold.
When asked how the town will begin to heal now that the trial is over, resident Barbara James said "To be honest I really don't know."
All three girls, now 8 and 9 years old, took the witness stand during the trial. People in court said the awful testimony included graphic pictures and doctors arguing about whether the girls were violated.
"Whether it really happened to them or not, in their minds they believe it did. It was just, I can't tell you, it just tore my heart out to just sit there and have to watch these little girls testify," Norwood said. "And to see their private parts put up on a screen for the jury to look at. It was just, you know, it was just -- I hope I never have to see anything like that again."
Craft's lawyers argued that the girls were coached by parents who suddenly had it out for Craft. They argued that the family of one of the girls was upset that Craft wasn't giving the girl better grades in class.
Tonya Craft, Georgia Teacher Aquitted of Molestation, Sues Accusers - ABC News
Three weeks after she was acquitted of molesting three children including her own daughter, a former Georgia teacher has filed a $25 million lawsuit against her accusers, including her ex-husband.
"The lawsuit is set in place to hold people accountable for these false allegations, for this not to happen again," Tonya Craft told "Good Morning America."
Craft, 37, is also suing the parents of the two other children she was accused of molesting during sleepovers with her daughter as well as the sheriff and other county workers who she said "repeatedly and suggestively questioned" the children until they believed she had touched them inappropriately.
The Catoosa County, Ga., Superior Court jury returned its verdict last month after nearly two days of deliberation in the trial. The former Chickamauga Elementary School teacher faced 22 charges of child molestation, aggravated sexual battery and aggravated child molestation.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court in hopes a judge will force the court Craft was tried in to change their practices when it comes to interviewing children.
Her lawyer, Demosthenes Lorandos, said Craft's case was a prime example of "incompetent interviewing" of children and that they believe the three children, including Craft's own daughter, were force-fed false memories, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Craft said she is not angry with her 8-year-old daughter for testifying against her.
"I think you get past it as a mother, that you unconditionally love your child," she said.
"She either has memories falsely that have been implanted or she's been manipulated," Craft said. "But it's not her fault."
Likewise, Craft said she considered the other two children victims.
Craft is also suing her ex-husband for full custody of the couple's two children. Her daughter and son, nearly 11, were taken away from her two years ago when the molestation accusations were first leveled against her.
Now living in Tennessee, Craft keeps bedrooms in her home decorated for both of them in case they get to come home.
She has seen them briefly since the trial ended and wears a pendant around her neck with their pictures.
"Every second is cherished," she said of her visits with them.
Tonya Craft: 'I Do Plan on Fighting for Children'
After her arrest in May 2008, Craft was fired from her job. She said she has no desire to return to teaching, but "I do plan on fighting for children."
Craft said she knows some will see her lawsuit as a cash cow and others will always believe she molested the children, despite the acquittal.
"It was a tough row to hoe to save her from these terrible allegations," Lorandos said. "She owes her family a ton of money for her defense that she'd like to recoup."
Craft's mother has said the family spent more than a half a million dollars fighting the charges.
"We mortgaged our home, we threw out all of our savings and 401ks, we sold stock," Betty Faires said.
During the trial the prosecutors alleged that for nearly two years Craft fondled children at her home multiple times, starting in August 2005, all while they were in kindergarten and first grade.
But some court observers said the prosecutors went too far.
"I think that this says that Catoosa County needs to take a real hard look at how they investigate child molesting, child molestation charges," Dennis Norwood, from Chattanoogan.com, said last month.
Craft had maintained that when her daughter's friends spent the night at her house, it was nothing more than an innocent sleepover. But the parents of other children said it was something far more sinister: They claimed Craft molested their kids several times.
The allegations sparked a trial that shocked the small community of Ringgold.
When asked how the town will begin to heal now that the trial is over, resident Barbara James said "To be honest I really don't know."
All three girls, now 8 and 9 years old, took the witness stand during the trial. People in court said the awful testimony included graphic pictures and doctors arguing about whether the girls were violated.
"Whether it really happened to them or not, in their minds they believe it did. It was just, I can't tell you, it just tore my heart out to just sit there and have to watch these little girls testify," Norwood said. "And to see their private parts put up on a screen for the jury to look at. It was just, you know, it was just -- I hope I never have to see anything like that again."
Craft's lawyers argued that the girls were coached by parents who suddenly had it out for Craft. They argued that the family of one of the girls was upset that Craft wasn't giving the girl better grades in class.
Tonya Craft, Georgia Teacher Aquitted of Molestation, Sues Accusers - ABC News
