Local News
Mother Received 5 Life Sentences for Abusing Children
It takes a lot of courage for a child to stand up against her parents and that is exactly what Holly Hopkins did when she reported that she and her siblings had been tortured and sexually abused by their parents for more than 14 years. As a result, the mother of these five children, Misty Hopkins, was sentenced to five stacked life sentences in prison.
According to WKRN, the Burnet County mother and her husband abused the children in every way possible. The siblings were locked in closets, denied food, and injected with drugs. The husband, a pastor for a church that no longer exists in Kingsland, passed away in 2012. His judgment would not come from the courts.
“[Holly] was told by her parents if she left or told someone about the abuse, they would sexually abuse her sisters as well. The children were also taught to fear police and Child Protective Services,” WKRN reported. However, Holly confided in a friend about what was going on, which led to her reporting the abuse to the police. During the trial, Holly took the stand and testified against her mother. This week, District Judge Evan Stubbs found Hopkins guilty and sentenced her to five stacked life sentences.
“I felt like a weight has been lifted more than anything,” Holly told KXAN. “I felt I could finally let go of it.”