A mother from Maryland faces serious allegations after reportedly shooting her 13-year-old daughter in the neck during a dispute. Following the incident, she allegedly instructed the girl to claim that an intruder was responsible for the shooting. Additionally, from jail, she left a voicemail for the father suggesting that if their daughter did not testify or make a statement, the case would be dismissed.
Talecka Brown, 32, is facing serious charges including attempted murder, assault, and the use of a firearm, according to online court records.
Violence erupted following the school day on Monday. Authorities arrived around 4:50 p.m. to the 500 block of 69th Place following reports of a shooting, according to a statement from the Seat Pleasant Police Department.
Upon arrival, officers discovered the girl with a gunshot injury.
According to court documents, a local NBC affiliate reported that the girl was shot, fell down the stairs, and was unable to move. A mother urgently contacted emergency services, reporting that an intruder had entered their home and shot her daughter, whom she discovered bleeding inside.
“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 swiftly transported to a hospital in critical condition and was making progress in the intensive care unit on Wednesday.
Aisha Braveboy, the State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, expressed that the emotional scars she carries might endure for a lifetime, according to a report from local NBC affiliate WRC.
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“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 expressed a similar sentiment in a statement, noting, “It is always tragic when acts of violence occur in our community, but it is particularly heart-wrenching when the one responsible is meant to be our protector.” It’s reassuring to know that the individual is on the mend at a nearby hospital, though the emotional scars may linger for a while.
Officials reported that the individual had first instructed her daughter to inform law enforcement that an intruder had entered their residence and shot her, according to court documents cited by local Fox affiliate WTTG.
Ashley Sowls, serving as the Assistant State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, stated in court on Wednesday that the suspect, while incarcerated, left a voicemail for the father of her daughter, who was staying with him. In the message, the suspect claimed, “attempted first-degree murder — c’mon, that’s not me,” as reported by the Washington Post.
It was also reported that she allegedly claimed the case “will go away” if the girl chose not to speak to the police or failed to appear in court.
“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 remarked that Brown failed to inquire about her daughter’s state, who was experiencing intense pain and was unable to walk.
Talecka remains in custody without the option for bail, and a court appearance is scheduled for October 25, according to online court records.