NewsNation Now

Mother charged with drowning girl in Tennessee creek

WARNING: This article contains graphic details.

HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 33-year-old woman was charged with drowning her 7-year-old daughter in Drakes Creek on Saturday, July 13.

According to the Hendersonville Police Department, officers were notified about a child who had drowned in Drakes Creek near the 200 block of Sanders Ferry Road.

Detectives reportedly responded to the scene to investigate and determined the girl’s mother — identified as 33-year-old Brandi Elliott — was responsible for the child’s death.

Elliot was interviewed by investigators at the Hendersonville Police Department. According to court documents, Elliot said she wanted alone time “after having a rough day.”

Elliot told officers she left her apartment and went to the bottom of the stairwell but her daughter came to join her. The girl reportedly refused to leave Elliot alone and did not want to stay at the apartment by herself.

Investigators said Elliot then took the girl to a greenway across the street. Elliot told officers she held her daughter under the water “like a large mouth bass” in a shallow area off the greenway until she felt her” bubbling,” according to court documents. She also reportedly told the girl to be quiet while she held the girl under the water.

Brandi Elliot (Courtesy: Hendersonville Police Department)

Once she pulled the girl from the water, Elliot reportedly said she realized she had done something wrong and tried to revive her with CPR.

The girl was taken to a Hendersonville hospital and was pronounced dead around 11:45 p.m.

Elliot was charged with first-degree murder and is being held in the Sumner County Jail, police said.

The Hendersonville Police Department asked anyone with information about the incident to call 615-265-5303 or Hendersonville Crime Stoppers at 615-594-4113.