Ridgeland woman to be sentenced after pleading guilty to sexually abusing her children

Ridgeland woman to be sentenced after pleading guilty to sexually abusing her children

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A Ridgeland woman faces a possible sentence of between 20 years and life after entering a guilty plea Monday in a sexual battery case.

Dacoda Amber Ray, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual battery in Madison County Circuit Court Monday, April 26 in front of Judge Steve Ratcliff.

“She pled without a recommendation of the State to two counts sexual battery,” said Ashley Allen Assistant District Attorney.

Allen said Ray’s sentencing is set for next Monday, May 3.

Ray has been charged with two counts of sexual battery against her own children, one of whom has since died.

In the fall last year, Ratcliff ordered Ray to undergo a mental evaluation at the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield after her attorney’s petitioned for the evaluation.

“She was found to be competent at a hearing this term,” Allen said.

Ridgeland Police Lt. Brian Myers previously told the Journal that Ray was initially arrested for disturbing the peace in relation to an incident at her grandparents’ home in Ridgeland on Aug. 13, 2020.

Myers said Ray was then picked up by the Madison County Sheriff’s Department from RPD custody in order to serve an indictment warrant for the sexual battery charges filed in Circuit Court on Aug. 5, 2020.

According to a grand jury indictment, Ray is alleged to have committed sexual acts on her two sons between Aug. 1, 2017, and June 1, 2018. The children were between the ages of 6 and 9 at the time of the alleged interactions.

Ray’s youngest son, Drake, died in 2019 by asphyxiation, choking to death on popcorn, the authorities said.






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