Alabama nurse practitioner charged with abuse, neglect of adopted daughter

By Carol Robinson | crobinson@al.com

A 39-year-old Alabama nurse practitioner is being held without bond after a Jefferson County grand jury indicted her on a charge of aggravated child abuse.

Kala Blakely, who lives in Trussville and runs a family health care clinic in Moody, is accused of severe neglect and abuse of a 12-year-old girl she adopted.

Trussville Police Chief Eric Rush said the investigation began Jan. 21 when the girl was taken to Children’s of Alabama with a variety of health issues. The hospital contacted the Alabama Department of Human Resources which then contacted Trussville police.

A joint investigation involved police, DHR, the Prescott House and the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. Rush said the investigation determined the child showed signs of physical abuse as well as neglect.

When the child was released from Children’s, Rush said, Blakely was given specific instructions on how to care for the child. Investigators found the adoptive mother refused to follow doctor’s orders.

The child also suffered bruises, scratches and lacerations on her spine, legs, arms, and feet, and had lost a significant amount of weight.

“The details of this investigation are very disturbing to me,” Rush said. “Our detectives took this case and did an excellent job in protecting this child from further abuse.”

The child is no longer in Blakely’s custody. Blakely has three other children.

According to her online biographies and the website for Hometown Family Medicine, Blakely is a two-time UAB School of Nursing alumna and served as an assistant professor at the School of Nursing. She received the Nurse Practitioner State Award for Excellence in 2018.

Blakely was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 5:08 p.m. Friday and remains held without bond because authorities said they believe she is a flight risk.