A former Memramcook, N.B. daycare owner has been found not guilty on 12 charges of assaulting her employees, and the children in her care.

On Tuesday, Judge Jean Paul Oulette broke down the charges against 58-year-old Celine Lang. She was found not guilty on 10 counts of assaulting children, and two assault charges towards a former employee.

Lang burst into tears when the decision was announced, hugging both her husband and her lawyer, who says the judge was right to question the credibility of former employees.

“Their credibility wasn't well seen by the court, so they have to consider where they're going in the future. So it's not a question of satisfaction, it's done,” says Lang’s lawyer Hazen Brian. “I'm happy it's done, the Lang’s are happy that it's done, and they're going to try to return to as normal a life as they can.”

Because of a publication ban protecting the identities of the children involved, CTV News cannot show the faces or disclose names of those families.

One father who testified during the two-week trial says he is dumbfounded by the decision.

“I'm in shock, really. I can't believe… there's no words for it, really,” he says. “Stuff that she admitted she did, we thought for sure those were clear cut. I'm in total disbelief.”

Lang admitted to immobilizing a child and dousing another with water during a fit to calm him down, but denied any biting or use of excessive force.

The judge said the actions could be reasonable under certain circumstances, and suggested embellishment on the part of former employees who had been let go from the daycare.

“They created a bunch of accusations and it was for the court to decide if they were true or not, and you have your verdict today,” says Brian.

“I knew she'd probably get off on a few charges, but there was three or four that were in our opinion, I won't say guaranteed, but we thought they'd go our way for sure,” says the father of one of the children.

In the end the judge disagreed.

Parents of the children say it is now up to the crown to decide whether or not to pursue an appeal.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.