An Effingham County mother whose name and picture were displayed on ‘Missing Persons’ flyers alongside her children for more than twenty months entered a plea in superior court Wednesday.
Case Background
34-year-old Kaylauni Rae French found herself wanted by law enforcement in Effingham County during a custody dispute in February 2024. French left the Guyton area with four of her children amid an investigation by the Georgia Department of Family & Children Services (DFCS) and a Contempt of Court order signed by a judge. (French has another minor son who resides with his father in another state and is not connected to the missing persons case.)
French had been the subject of DFCS proceedings and law enforcement reports in the months leading up to her departure from the state, including a fire that occurred at her residence in October 2023 when the children were home alone. Various court documents also alleged that at the time French absconded, she had various open cases involving inadequate supervision of the children, truancy was an issue for French, and the children’s fathers had been alienated from their lives. It was also alleged that French had not cooperated with DFCS.
In the Spring of 2024, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office issued arrest warrants for French, including four counts of Interference with Custody, four counts of Cruelty to Children/Criminal Negligence, and one count of Maintaining a Disorderly House. The case was later presented to grand jury and she was indicted on four counts of Interstate Interference with Custody, but authorities were unable to locate her for well over a year.
An indictment for French’s boyfriend and co-defendant stated that the children were left alone in an unsanitary home, were unsupervised, were not being cared for or provided for in an appropriate manner, were neglected, and were abandoned.
In October 2025, French returned to Georgia and turned herself in to authorities. The four children were turned over to their fathers pursuant to a court order.
At a bond hearing in November, French’s attorney said she “was a model citizen before she made a horribly poor judgment to take the law into her own hands.” Then-ADA Matt Breedon said French only returned because the walls were closing in and her co-defendant turned on her. Ultimately, French’s request was denied over risk of her again leaving the jurisdiction and failing to appear for future court dates.
Shortly thereafter, the case was reindicted by a grand jury on eight counts of Interstate Interference with Custody.
Plea
On Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Stuart Patray told the court that the previous indictment would be nolle prossed, or dismissed, and a new accusation would be filed for the negotiated plea.
Patray told the court that French would stipulate that between February 6, 2024 and December 24, 2024, she committed the act of Cruelty to Children in the 2nd degree when she, with criminal negligence, caused four of her children “excessive mental pain by denying said children the opportunity to communicate with their fathers, whether directly or indirectly as authorized by their legal custodian the Georgia Department of Human Services Division of Family and Children Services (pursuant to an order from the Juvenile Court of Effingham County).”
At the time of the act, the state agency had custody of the children.
Patray said French was in a relationship with a co-defendant, Christopher Kersey, who was employed by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office at the time. Kersey was charged with Failure to Report Suspected Child Abuse and Violation of Oath by Public Officer, but Patray said his charges were dismissed due to his eventual cooperation with law enforcement in aiding in the return of French and her children back to Georgia.
He said the negotiated plea included:
- A three-year sentence, all of which would be served on probation
- A no-contact order with the children (including being within 1,000 feet) unless approved by a court order OR with authorization by the legal custodian.
- Currently, all five children live in three different states with their respective fathers.
- A disposition under the First Offender Act, meaning if French successfully completed her sentence, the charge would be removed from her record.
- When asked Wednesday if she had any prior felony convictions, French replied “not even a speeding ticket.”
Judge Lovett Bennett Jr. accepted the negotiated plea in open court.
Kevin Gough, French’s attorney, told the court that while French was stipulating to the facts of the accusation, he wanted to be clear that she was “not admitting she neglected her children” and she was not “not admitting guilt to interference with custody.” He said he was unsure she could even be charged with the second offense under Georgia law.
“We do acknowledge that the children did not have access to their fathers,” he said.
Gough also asked the court to give French credit for time served in jail dating back to October 28, 2025 and to set a Behavioral Incentive Date. Judge Bennett agreed to credit the time in jail to the probationary term of the sentence.
As of close of business on April 1, French was still listed as an inmate in the Effingham County Jail.
