COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A former church school principal unexpectedly pleaded guilty to molesting three boys at a court hearing on Monday.
Channel 2’s Ross Cavitt was at the Cobb County Courthouse for Jack Hibbs’ formal sentencing.
Parents of Hibbs’ victims tearfully told the judge that their lives had been ruined. The young victims are in therapy, relatives said.
Hibbs, 58, was prinicipal of Faith Lutheran's private school when police charged him with sexually molesting a former student.
Two other victims quickly came forward. Minutes before his trial was to begin Monday, Hibbs pleaded guilty.
"I just want to say sorry for my betrayal of trust," Hibbs said.
Hibbs apologized to the families but didn't explain his actions, saying only that he hoped the victims would someday forgive his sins.
But forgiveness was not mentioned by the victims or families who asked the judge for justice. They had one goal: for Hibbs to spend the rest of his life in jail.
“We would like to see him behind bars for the rest of his life, so that he cannot hurt any of our children or anyone else,” a victim’s mother said.
One of the three teenage victims became emotional while addressing the court.
"I want this over with. I want to move on. I'm only 16 and it's every day that I think about this. It's not a day when I don't. I just want this to be over," the victim said.
A judge sentenced Hibbs to life in prison.