ELYRIA — Heather Koon pleaded guilty Thursday to raping children she had been entrusted to watch at the day care centers where she worked at the behest of her fiance, convicted sex offender James Osborne, who also entered guilty pleas during a separate court appearance.
Many of the charges against the couple carry prison sentences of 15 years to life in prison, but that could be increased to life without parole if Lorain County Common Pleas Judge James Miraldi determines they are sexually violent predators at a future hearing.
If they are ever released from prison, they would have to register as sex offenders every day for the rest of their lives.
Osborne appeared largely emotionless during the proceedings, while Koon appeared to be fighting back tears and her voice broke occasionally as she answered questions from Miraldi.
“Hopefully they get nothing less than life,” the father of a girl who was 2 when Koon molested her said after the hearing. “I never realized creatures like this exist.”
County sheriff’s deputies and prosecutors have said that Osborne directed Koon to rape four children in her care at ABC Kidz Child Care in Elyria in March and April 2013. She also took obscene photos of children at ABC Kidz and Country Day School in Amherst, where she took a job after leaving ABC Kidz.
Dan Wightman, Koon’s defense attorney, said his client was following Osborne’s orders when she abused the children. “We are hopeful that at the end of the day the judge recognizes that Heather to a great extent felt compelled to be involved in this activity,” Wightman said. “But she does have a lot of remorse about it.”
The mother of the 2-year-old said her daughter went through therapy, but the family doesn’t discuss what happened to her. She also said that despite their pleas, Koon and Osborne don’t appear ready to take responsibility for their actions.
“They’ve showed no remorse to me,” she said. Kreig Brusnahan, Osborne’s lawyer, said his client knows what he did was wrong. “My client can’t take back what happened and is sincerely regretful for what he has done,” he said.