Atlanta woman accused of trying to drown her own child, driving into Tennessee lake

MONROE COUNTY, Tenn. — A woman is behind bars after officials say she tried to drown a child.

Officers responded to reports of a woman who refused to stop at the security gate at SeaRay Boat Company in Vonroe, Tennessee and was trying to drown a small child, according to an affidavit obtained by Channel 2 Action News.

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When officers arrived, employees at the boat factory had already intervened and had taken the child from the woman in the water.

After the child was taken away from her, the affidavit said the woman got into her car, drove into the Mastercraft Boat Company parking lot, and into Tellico Lake, where she exited her vehicle and swam to shore, where she was taken into custody.

Witnesses told police that when the driver, identified as Jessica Upton of Atlanta, was passing the security gate of SeaRay Boat Company, she rolled her car windows up and smoked marijuana while blowing smoke into the child’s face.

The affidavit added that employees saw Upton force the child to drink Twisted Tea before taking her into the water.

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According to the report, witnesses saw Upton enter the water with the child and hold her underwater. When they intervened, they had to forcefully get the child away from Upton, who was clinging to the child.

The child told police that Upton was her mother and that she had been acting weird for the past two days.

That same day, Upton told the child she was taking her to her grandmother’s in New York. The affidavit said Upton purchased Twisted Teas at a gas station where she threw the child’s belongings away, including an iPad, cell phone and clothing.

The child told police her mother then took her to the lake, where she had never been, and into the water.

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Witnesses told police they believed Upton was trying to drown the child.

Upton was charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. She was booked into the Monroe County, Tenn. Jail.

Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers also determined that Upton was drunk at the time of the incident and charged her with driving under the influence.

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