John Jefferson
Inset: Talecka Brown (Seat Pleasant Police Department). Background: The home where Brown allegedly shot her daughter (WRC).
A Maryland mother is accused of shooting her 13-year-old daughter in the neck in an argument, then allegedly telling the girl to say she was shot by someone who’d broken into the home, leaving the father in a voicemail from jail that if their daughter did not make a statement or appear in court, the case “will go away.”
Talecka Brown, 32, faces charges of attempted murder, assault, and use of a firearm, online court records show.
The bloodshed happened after school on Monday. Officers responded at about 4:50 p.m. to the 500 block of 69th Place for a shooting, the Seat Pleasant Police Department said in a press release.
Once there, officers found the girl suffering from a gunshot wound.
Citing court documents, local NBC affiliate WRC reported that the girl was shot and fell downstairs and couldn’t move. Her mother called 911, saying a homeless man broke in and shot her, and she found her daughter inside the home bleeding.
“They’re advising the patient was shot in her neck by a homeless person,” a dispatcher can be heard saying, the outlet reported.
She was immediately taken to a hospital in critical condition and was recovering in the intensive care unit on Wednesday.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said her emotional injuries may last a lifetime, local NBC affiliate WRC reported.
“And while no one thinks that a mother would shoot her very own daughter — no one could conceive of that — these incidents do happen,” Braveboy said.
Acting Police Chief Cedric Heyward echoed the comment in a statement, saying, “It is always tragic when we have acts of violence within our community, but it is heart wrenching when the perpetrator is supposed to be your protector. I am glad to hear that the victim is recovering at a local hospital, but the emotional trauma will remain for some time.”
Authorities said that the suspect had initially told her daughter to tell police that someone broke into their home and shot her, local Fox affiliate WTTG reported, citing court documents.
Ashley Sowls, Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, said in court on Wednesday that from jail that the suspect left a voicemail for her daughter’s father with whom the girl was staying, saying, “attempted first-degree murder — c’mon, that’s not me,” Sowls said, the Washington Post reported.
She also allegedly said that the case “will go away” if the girl refused to talk to cops or didn’t show up for court, the newspaper reported.
“That was concerning to the state because, obviously, with her being 13 years old, she’s very impressionable and that’s our concern,” Sowls said after the hearing, WTTG reported. “It’s her mother. She’s going to listen to her mother. We don’t want her to be tainted in any way by the pressure.”
Sowls added that Brown didn’t ask about the condition of her daughter, who was in “screeching pain” and couldn’t walk.
“At no time did she express any concern for how her child is doing,” Sowls said, WRC reported.
Talecka was being held without bail, with a court date set for Oct. 25, online court records show.
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