Fran Keller to Be Released from Jail

Frances Keller (by Jana Birchum)

Nearly 21 years in prison, Fran Keller will be released from prison today. The former Austin day care owner was convicted of the sexual abuse of a 3 year-old child in her care. Keller had maintained innocence throughout her incarceration, saying she was a victim of the nationwide scare about satanic ritual abuse.

In August, the Keller case had returned to a Travis County district court because of a lack of physical evidence in the case. The sole testimony attesting to physical evidence was supplied by a then-new emergency room doctor, Michael Mouw. Mouw later stated that what he thought were injuries caused by sexual assault were in fact "normal variants" of female genitalia.

While the Travis County District Attorney's office is not fully supporting Keller's claims of innocence, an agreement will allow Keller to post a personal bond, facilitating her release from the Travis County Jail. Her husband Dan, also imprisoned, could be released from prison as early as next week.

The Chronicle's Jordan Smith has been following the case since 2008. A more detailed story will be posted to the Newsdesk blog later in the day.