A mother in Tennessee was charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm after she allegedly fatally shot a man she found hiding under her daughter’s bed.
Officers responded to a home in Memphis after they received a report of a shooting on July 16 around 1:40 a.m., according to an arrest affidavit obtained by People.
Upon their arrival, police found an unresponsive man lying in the front yard who was “suffering from a gunshot wound to the back of his head,” according to the affidavit.
The man, who has since been identified as Rodderius Morton, was pronounced dead at the scene. No additional details about him have been revealed, including his age.
The officers then spoke to resident Kendra Scott, who said that she came home and “saw a dude under my kid’s bed.”
“I did what I had to do,” Scott, 36, said, per the affidavit.
Officers also spoke to a neighbor about the incident after he came outside when he heard a gunshot. The neighbor said that he saw the male who had been shot near the front porch of Scott’s home, while he also saw Scott standing in the front yard as she held a gun and said, “I shot him, I shot him.”
Scott’s child, who was allegedly in the home at the time of the incident, also spoke to police about what happened.
The juvenile told police that she had invited Morton into the home at about 1:20 or 1:30 a.m., according to the affidavit. She then told police that Scott arrived home and started yelling, “Who’s at my house?”
The minor told police that she was afraid of Scott and claimed that she previously said that if she “sees a boy in my house I will put a hole in his ass.”
Scott then allegedly discovered Morton hiding under the juvenile’s bed, and he gathered his things and left the home. However, a gunshot went off and he was struck as he exited the home.
Following the incident, Scott was charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, according to Shelby County public court records.
Scott’s attorney, Blake Ballin, told People that the incident “started with the worst nightmare of any parent” and claimed that the child involved was a 13-year-old girl.
“One of the key questions in this case will be whether anyone could act rationally in this circumstance,” Ballin said.
Scott is currently being held without bond and her first arraignment hearing is scheduled to take place on Friday, July 24. It is not currently clear if she has entered a plea.
