Molly Elisabeth Duncan, a 26-year-old from Beachwood, Ohio, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for sexually assaulting two toddlers and filming the abuse on her phone. Judge Laurie Pittman imposed four consecutive life terms on July 24 in Portage County for the abuse of one victim, ensuring Duncan remains imprisoned until her death.
Duncan, who had worked as a nanny in Northeast Ohio for 10 years, abused one toddler in Portage County and another in Geauga County. Both victims were under the age of two. She recorded the assaults and distributed the videos to other sexual predators on social media.
Conviction and Sentencing
Duncan was convicted of four counts of first-degree rape and other charges. Judge Pittman asked her, "I'm going to ask you one question: What in the hell happened in your life that you would think this was all right?"
In a victim impact statement, the mother of the Portage County child said, "There is evil in this world, your honor, and its name is Molly Duncan. This has not only impacted my daughter, but our entire family. We live with heightened vigilance. Every day is now measured by how well she is coping."
For the Geauga County victim, Judge Pamela A. Barker sentenced Duncan to 70 years in prison on July 22, plus 25 years of supervised release. Duncan admitted in April to two counts of sexual exploitation of minors, distribution of sexually explicit content depicting children, and possession of child pornography.
Financial Penalties and Apology
Duncan was ordered to pay $20,000 toward the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act and $8,000 under the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act. In her statement, Duncan apologized and partially blamed her behavior on her mental health and personal history of abuse, saying, "I've had thousands of opportunities to have committed these crimes, and this was never a thought that entered my mind until a particular person entered my life."
