MONROE, Ga. — A mother from the city of Monroe in Walton County is in custody on charges that she repeatedly shot her 4-year-old daughter inside their apartment home.
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Police were called to the apartment by the mother. When officers knocked on the door, the victim’s older sister answered.
“When we made contact with that 12-year-old juvenile, she advised our officers that her young sister was bleeding, so they immediately responded to room where the child was at with the mother. Our officers noticed the child had multiple gunshot wounds. They immediately took the child from the mother and started life-saving measures,” said Monroe Police Chief AV Watt.
Investigators say a firearm was lying on the floor near the mother and child.
Paramedics took the wounded girl to Monroe Piedmont Hospital. Doctors had hoped to transport the child by helicopter to a Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta trauma center, but stormy weather prevented that option.
“We did an emergency escort with our police officers, escorting this ambulance to metro Atlanta. Our dispatch contacted all the agencies between here and that area hospital to clear the pathway for us, which was instrumental in cutting down that drive time. When we got there last night, she was in very critical condition, but as of this morning she is stable, but still in a critical stage. It’s touch-and-go at this moment. So I’m asking everyone to keep this little girl in your thoughts and prayers. It’s a tragic situation not only for this child, but obviously her sibling and family,” said Chief Watt.
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People who live in the complex were saddened to hear of the shooting of the little girl.
“It’s heartbreaking. Just devastating. I saw the police officer holding the child in his arms and running to the ambulance,” said neighbor Janice Dion.
“To see something like that happen to such a young, innocent child weighs heavily on the minds of all our public safety here,” said Chief Watt.
The child’s mother, Ashley Brown, 31, of Monroe, is in custody and charged with:
- Aggravated assault
- Aggravated battery
- Two counts of cruelty to children in the first degree
- Discharging a firearm within 300 feet of a roadway
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