<p>A former third grade teacher at a Worth County elementary school pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated child molestation and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.</p><p>As part of a plea agreement negotiated with the district attorney, Georgianne Harrell, who is in her mid-twenties, entered the guilty plea Wednesday in Worth County Superior Court, said Superior Court Judge Gary McCorvey.</p><p>The judge sentenced Harrell to 25 years in prison without possibility of parole after which she will be on probation for five years.</p><p>Harrell's plea came one day before jury selection was to begin in this southwest Georgia city.</p><p>"I am pleased that we were able to avoid the necessity of a number of the students testifying at trial," District Attorney Paul Bowden said.</p><p>Bowden said the plea agreement developed quickly as his office was preparing for jury selection. The trial was set to begin on July 5, and numerous students and teachers were to testify.</p><p>Harrell admitted to performing oral sex on a 9-year-old student in her classroom in April 2005 at Holley Elementary School in Sylvester, prosecutors said.</p><p>Harrell is also said to have slit her wrist with a piece of glass to get students' attention, allowed students to peek down her blouse and talked to some of the children about sexual matters.</p><p>Harrell was arrested on May 17, 2005. Between August 2004 and May 2005, authorities claim she abused seven students.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cdcfd0)</p>
