ASHLAND – A Hayesville woman pleaded guilty in Ashland County Common Pleas Court Monday to two counts of endangering children.
The charges stem from a March 3 incident in which the defendant, 28-year-old Alyssa Mae Edwards, left her two children alone while she went to work around 8 a.m. on a Saturday.
Sometime within the two hours that followed, Edwards’ 8-year-old son shot Edwards’ 4-year-old daughter two to three times with a 22 caliber rifle, according to Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell.
The weapon was stored unloaded in a gun cabinet with other firearms and kept separately from the ammunition, according to Tunnell. It was unclear from the investigation whether the cabinet was locked.
After the shooting, Edwards was contacted at work, came home, inspected the girl’s wounds, cleaned up a bedcover with blood on it, and then left the kids alone again while she went back to work until around noon.
Sometime between noon and 2 p.m., Tunnell said, after the 4-year-old began to urinate through a bullet hole in her abdomen, Edwards took the girl to the hospital.
Edwards was indicted on two charges of endangering children — one felony and one misdemeanor — as well as a charge of tampering with evidence. Tunnell agreed the drop the tampering with evidence charge in exchange for Edwards’ guilty pleas on the other two charges.
Sentencing in the case is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 20.
Edwards had sole custody of her children at the time of the incident. The children are separated and in the custody of Ashland County Department of Job and Family Services.
