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BREAKING: Newton High shooting threat made on social media, 911 receives calls
Caitlin Jett
Updated: Oct 14, 2019, 6:36 PM
Published: Oct 14, 2019, 1:21 PM
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been edited to retract the statement that a Newton High student made the threat. Even though the Covington-Newton 911 center received calls regarding a student-made threat, the NCSS nor the NCSO have confirmed the identity of the person.
COVINGTON, Ga. - The Covington-Newton 911 received calls this morning in reference to shooting threat at Newton High.
"The SRO division with Newton County Sheriff Department have been made aware of the situation and are taking every precaution possible," according to the Covington-Newton County 9-1-1 Facebook post.
Covington-Newton 911 Director Trudy Henry told The Covington News the threat was made on social media.
The NCSO nor the Newton County School System have confirmed the threat was made by a student.
The NCSS received information regarding a "security concern," according to Sherri Davis, NCSS director of public relations.
"Out of an abundance of caution, extra law enforcement officers are at the school today," she said.
The NCSO told The News they are unable to verify the credibility of the threat.
“A report was filed from the social media post and NCSO has beefed up security with additional SRO’s as a precaution,” NCSO Deputy Favel Edwards said.
The Covington News will update this story as more information becomes available.
Covington man convicted of child abuse and neglect by Newton County jury
Kate Verity
Updated: Apr 8, 2025, 8:25 PM
Published: Apr 8, 2025, 8:21 PM
NEWTON COUNTY – Last Thursday evening, a Newton County jury found Covington resident Carey Donovan Clark guilty of six counts of cruelty to children in the second degree and one count of aggravated battery.
According to a press release from the Newton County District Attorney’s office, the charges stem “from the abuse and neglect of multiple children.” There were a total of six children affected, all of whom were younger than 10.
The case warranted the involvement of Newton County and Cherokee County DFCS and the children involved received services from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and A Child's Voice Child Advocacy Center. The investigation and arrest washandled by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Assistant District Attorney Bailey Wilkinson, the three older children went to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and one child remained hospitalized for a few days due to internal and external injuries.
Clark’s co-defendant in the case, Nora Rodgers, was sentenced in December 2023 after pleading guilty. Rodgers received 60 years with the first 30 years in confinement.
Nora Rodgers
Clark’s sentencing will be held at a later date. A pre-sentencing report is still being completed, and Clark will remain in custody until he is sentenced.
According to the press release, both Rodgers and Clark would make the children involved perform exercises and would not give the children “necessary sustenance.” A doctor testifying from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta reportedly called the children’s experiences “torture.”
According to Wilkinson, the abuse was dealt at the hands of both Rodgers and Clark. The eight of them had lived together since 2018.
When Rodgers was sentenced, a statement released detailed some of the exercises the children were forced to perform.
“Over the years the children had suffered torture under the guise of punishment. They were forced to do extreme bootcamp style exercises,” the statement with Rodgers’ sentencing read. “They would have to run laps, squats with large
logs from the yard, jumping jacks, etc., for extended time periods and to the point of exhaustion and injury. They would often have to perform these exercises in the middle of the night and in the heat of summer."
The statement further declared that Rodgers would “beat” the children if their exercise was not up to her standards and that she would spar with them as well, often hitting them.
Wilkinson told The Covington News that the methods to punish the children were decided on together by Clark and Rodgers. Clark did not engage in the sparring, but he was aware of it. She added that Clark did engage in the exercise and physical punishments, but not to the same extent as Rodgers.
