KIMBALL -- Two Kimball residents received their sentencing in Kimball District Court Dec. 3, six months after being arrested following a traffic stop. 

Forty-three-year-old Derick Metcalf and 41-year-old Cora Robinson were charged with two counts of Child Abuse and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a child in June. 

Around 9 p.m. on June 6, Kimball police officers observed a motor vehicle failing to stay in its lane. Upon pulling the vehicle over, the vehicle collided with a parked motor vehicle. 

The officers discovered the driver to be a 12-year-old juvenile. In the vehicle was another 12-year-old juvenile and the parents of the driver. The officers also found evidence that the parents were intoxicated. 

In a previous court appearance, Robinson pled no contest to the amended charges of two counts of Class 1 Misdemeanor child abuse negligently/no injury, while Metcalf pled not guilty to the same charges. 

Judge Derek Weimer found them both guilty and sentenced Robinson to 12 months of probation with 1 day time served and Metcalf to 12 months of probation with 2 days' time served. 

Both the state and Robinson’s attorney recommended probation based on her efforts to make changes in her life that led her to the position she is in. 

County attorney Mark Kovarik said, “Ms. Robinson has made some significant efforts to complete classes and become a better parent to the children involved in the incident, and she should be commended for those efforts.” 

Robinson’s attorney Audrey Long said Robinson is taking this very seriously, and this incident caused her to change her ways. 

“This was the bottom of the barrel that got Ms. Robinson to wake up and see that coping with alcohol is not going to get her where she needs to be,” Long said.  

Kovarik also said that the state commends Metcalf for the classes he has taken and completed. 

Metcalf’s attorney Stacy Bach said, “The situation was poor judgement; he has no criminal history which at his age bodes extremely well for him.” 

Judge Weimer said having taken into consideration all the factors in both cases, probation is appropriate because Robinson and Metcalf have demonstrated that it’s something they can do.