A Democratic mayor in Georgia was arrested on child molestation charges, and his wife was also charged with cruelty to children.
Joseph Kelly, 38, mayor of the City of Climax and an employee of the Decatur County School District, was charged with two counts of child molestation. His wife, Natalie Kelly, 44, faces two counts of cruelty to children in the second degree.
According to the school district’s website, he is a math teacher at Bainbridge High School. It’s unclear whether he is still employed there.
The alleged acts involve multiple children.
Both were taken into custody on Saturday.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a statement:
On Saturday, May 31, 2025, the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to investigate allegations that Joseph Kelly had sexual contact with multiple minors.
Both Joseph and Natalie Kelly were arrested later that same day by GBI agents and Decatur County Sheriff’s Office investigators. They were booked into the Decatur County Jail.
The bureau added, “At this time, there is no indication that the alleged acts are related to his employment.”
The accused child predator has since been released on a $55,400 bond, while his wife was released on an $11,400 bond.
Authorities continue to actively investigate the matter.
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