Hometown Heroes Award Presented To SES, School Nurse

Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff Steve Pelton visited Sullivan Elementary School Wednesday morning, May 26 and presented a Hometown Heroes Award to SES and a second award to Nurse Jessica Carey.

The award is presented to very few people, according to Pelton. It recognizes individuals and organizations in which selfless courage is displayed for the safety and wellness of residents in Franklin County.

Jana Thornsberry, Sullivan Schools Superintendent, stated, “We are very honored to have been recognized for this award from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.”

The awards state: “Through the authority granted by Sheriff Steve Pelton, Sullivan Elementary Staff is recognized for their selfless courage that directly affected the safety and wellbeing of residents of Franklin County.

Whereas, August of 2019, the entire Sullivan Elementary were working their regular school duties, recognized, multiple signs of child abuse from a family of two children. Recognizing this danger, the entire staff came together as a team and made multiple reports of child abuse. Although investigations at that time came with no outcome, they continued their desire to keep the children safe and document to the best of their ability working together.

Whereas, in 2019, Sullivan Elementary Staff gave valuable collective information to Detectives, allowing a further, more detailed investigation into the long-term abuse, resulting in placing all children in protective custody and leading to the arrest of the abusers.

It is therefore recognized that, Sullivan Elementary Staff directly resulted in the safe rescue of two children from an abusive home. The Sheriff’s Office is honored to call them collectively out “Hometown Heroes.”