by Decatur, Alabama — A Morgan County jury has convicted a Hartselle woman and her husband of aggravated child abuse for a 2021 incident in which investigators say hospital staff discovered life-threatening injuries beneath makeup on a 3-year-old girl. The Morgan County District Attorney’s Office confirmed the verdict Friday, closing a weeklong trial that detailed what prosecutors called a disturbing pattern of deception.
Conviction and Sentencing Outlook
Hannah Marie Campbell, 29, and her husband, Lance Destin Campbell, 30, remain held in the Morgan County Jail.
Their sentencing hearing is set for February 11, and prosecutors said both now face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
How the Case Began
According to an affidavit filed by a Hartselle police investigator, the case began on May 30, 2021, when the couple brought the 3-year-old to the Parkway campus of Decatur Morgan Hospital.
Hannah Campbell initially claimed the child fell from concrete steps outside their home.
Medical personnel quickly alerted the Morgan County Department of Human Resources after observing injuries that did not match a fall from that distance.
What Hospital Staff Found
The District Attorney’s Office said a nurse practitioner detected makeup on the child’s face, neck, and arm.
“Once the makeup was removed, multiple bruises were seen all over the child’s body,” the District Attorney’s Office reported.
The child was then transferred to Children’s of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham. Doctors determined she had sustained internal injuries so severe they were considered life-threatening, including a lacerated pancreas and liver.
The young girl required surgery and remained hospitalized for a month.
Statements to Investigators
Hartselle Police launched a formal investigation soon after the hospital’s report. Both Hannah and Lance Campbell were interviewed.
According to investigators, Hannah Campbell gave conflicting accounts:
“Hannah lied to the hospital, the Department of Human Resources, and the police regarding the child’s injuries,” the District Attorney’s Office said.
Lance Campbell also repeated the same false account of a fall before changing his story.
He ultimately admitted he was home with the child when the injuries occurred and told investigators he had spanked the girl, who is his stepdaughter.
The affidavit states:
“He admitted to spanking her with his hand which caused her to fall to the floor, which he claimed was carpeted. Lance said all the injuries sustained were due to her falling from the steps.”
Hannah later recanted her original version and admitted she had not witnessed the incident.
Removal of Children and Pretrial Release History
Both defendants were charged with aggravated child abuse in 2021.
All children in the home were removed and placed with a relative.
Court filings show Lance Campbell posted a $500,000 bond on June 7, 2021.
Hannah Campbell was granted pretrial release later that month under strict conditions, including electronic monitoring and mandatory reporting to community corrections.
The Jury’s Decision
After a weeklong trial, jurors deliberated for about an hour before finding both Hannah and Lance Campbell guilty. Prosecutors said the swift verdict reflected the clarity of the evidence.
Assistant District Attorney Kelly Cimino addressed the outcome:
“The law doesn’t require perfection in our parenting, but it does require decency. The actions of Hannah and Lance Campbell fell well below that standard, and the jury held them accountable.”
Assistant District Attorney Courtney Schellack added that the couple waited a full day before seeking medical help, keeping the child in severe pain while bruises were concealed with makeup.
“They have spent every second worried about themselves,” she said. “The jury saw through the excuses and gave that baby the justice she deserves.”
Closing
The case now moves to the sentencing phase, where the court will determine whether the couple receives the maximum penalty allowed under Alabama’s aggravated child abuse statute.
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