An Indiana former pastor has been sentenced this Wednesday by a judge to a lengthy prison term, all but ensuring that Brian Couch, who is also a former school nurse, will never get out of prison alive, Fox59 reports.
Couch faced charges in connection with two cases and pleaded guilty to three counts of child molestation as part of a plea deal. The charges were first filed in 2019. According to Fox59, Couch approached police and said he needed to talk to them about “inappropriately touching” a juvenile over the course of several years.
“Other kids are put to bed and told that monsters don’t exist, but the victim here was forced to live with hers. Brian Couch is the proverbial monster under the bed. The victims are serving a life sentence, he deserves one too,” Deputy Prosecutor Jagen Arnold said during the sentencing hearing.
In an email to parents, Yorktown Community Schools superintendent Dr. Greg Hinshaw said. Couch was no longer employed by the district as a nurse.
“Yorktown Community Schools was informed very late last night that a member of our nursing staff had been arrested on serious charges. This individual is now no longer employed by Yorktown Community Schools and has been barred from school property. At present there is no evidence of any wrong-doing at school,” the email read. “Student safety and well-being are the foremost concern of the district, and I have met with our principals and nursing staff to ensure that students and families feel safe in sharing any concerns that they might have arising from this situation.”
Couch’s wife pleaded guilty to failing to report her husband’s behavior. She was given a sentence suspended to probation.
“I take tremendous comfort in the fact that Brian Couch will spend the rest of his life in prison and that the only way he will leave prison will be in a pine box,” said Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman. “He will no longer have the ability hurt another child.”
