The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:23 PM

Knoxville Police Say Woman Who Held Baby Over Railing Of Third Story Apartment Charged With First Degree Murder

UPDATE: The Knoxville Police Department says a mother is charged with first degree murder following the death of her 3-month-old baby.

KPD says 3-month-old Adrian Prince Howell, Jr. died from blunt force trauma to his head. While officers are still investigating the incident at 1100 Lula Powell Drive, they say there is no evidence of a shooting or that a weapon was involved.

Officers say the baby's mother, 19-year-old Tierra Patrice Williamson, will be detained on a $100,000 bond after she is discharged from the hospital. She is charged with one count of first degree murder, according to KPD.

Knoxville Police Public Information Officer Darrell DeBusk said witnesses told police Williamson was dangling the baby over her third story apartment.

"An individual was able to get to her and the baby. The baby was actually inside the apartment with the mom when we arrived on scene," DeBusk said.

Police called in chaplains that night to help officers cope after responding to the scene.

"Seeing the child, having to process the scene, having to take pictures of the baby, that can wear on an individual," DeBusk said.

Saturday, residents at Townview Towers Apartments set out teddy bears and candles to honor baby Adrian's life.

Officers were called to the Townview Towers Apartments, at 1100 Lula Powell Drive, near downtown shortly before 8:20 p.m.

A KPD spokesperson said 911 callers initially thought a shooting had occurred, but police have not been able to determine whether any gunshots were fired.

KPD said the woman held a baby over the railing of the third story of a Knoxville apartment complex Friday night.

On Friday, police confirmed that the woman threatened to kill the three-month-old boy by dropping him from the third story of a unit in The 1100 Studio Apartments on Lula Powell Drive.

According to a police spokesperson, officers found the injured child inside of an apartment.