Mom Allegedly Learned 8-Year-Old Son Shot 4-Year-Old Daughter Then Went Back to Work

An Ohio woman is facing charges of child endangerment after she allegedly returned to work after learning that her 8-year-old son had shot her 4-year-old daughter.

On Saturday, March 3, Alyssa Edwards, 27, was taken into police custody and charged with two counts of child endangerment after she allegedly returned to work after her daughter had been shot, PEOPLE reports.

According to an arrest report, Edwards’ 8-year-old son knew how to unlock a safe in the family’s Hayesville, Ohio home and retrieved a rifle and ammunition that was kept there before repeatedly shooting his 4-year-old sister. He then called his mother, who reportedly left work to check on her daughter’s injuries, dressed the wounds, cleaned a blood bed cover, and then returned to work, leaving the unattended children home alone.

“She came home, cleaned up a bed cover with blood on it, examined the 4-year-old and was aware the 4-year-old was injured at the time,” Ashland County Prosecutor Christopher Tunnell said during a recent bond hearing, according to The Washington Post.

A hospital contacted authorities after Edward brought the 4-year-old to the hospital hours later when one of her wounds began leaking. The 4-year-old is listed in stable condition at a Cleveland children’s hospital. Ashland County sheriff’s Chief Deputy Carl Richert said the girl’s injuries are not life-threatening.

Both children are now in the custody of children’s services.

On Monday, March 5, Edwards appeared in court where a magistrate set her bond at $30,000. She is expected to enter a plea to the charges on Wednesday, March 7. Donald Wick, the court-appointed attorney that will represent Edwards, said that he was not able to comment on the case at the time as he had only just been appointed.

Police are still investigating the case and have not yet released any information on the circumstances leading up to the non-fatal shooting, local TV station WOIO reports.