Mother attempts ‘suicide by cop’ after 2-year-old child dies in Clarke County

COFFEEVILLE, Ala. (WALA) - An investigation is underway after an infant was found dead near Coffeeville Sunday night.

At this point, investigators do not know how the child died, but they say when they arrived on the scene the mother, who is not being identified, started acting erratically.

The crime scene tape is still visible nearly 24 hours after a police standoff outside a Coffeeville home on West Bend Road.

The Clarke County Sheriff’s Office says they got a call for help about a 2-year-old needing medical attention around 6 pm Sunday. When they arrived, the mother was armed.

“She came out waving a gun and then went back into the house and fired a couple of shots we were able to get the baby out while that was happening,” said Sheriff DeWayne Smith.

A nurse who had been driving by started CPR on the infant with no success.

We are told the child died before getting to the Grove Hill Hospital. Investigators say the 2-year-old’s mother was acting erratically during a standoff and attempted suicide by cop.

“She came to the door a couple of times with the gun indicating that the officers were going to have to kill her,” Sheriff Smith said. “She then came outside pointing the gun at her head and got into her vehicle.”

Before the mother could drive away, a deputy with tactical training disabled the car by shooting out a tire.

Deputies then were able to take her into custody without needing to use deadly force.

“I take pride in the fact that this is at least the 5th time this year where deadly force would have been authorized several times during a situation, but none of our deputies have utilized it,” said Sheriff Smith.

Clarke County Sheriff Smith credits that to an increased focus on mental health awareness training among other things.

The mother is locked up in the Clarke County jail facing multiple charges stemming from the stand-off along with several drug charges.

“You mix drugs, parenting, and kids it’s a recipe for disaster,” Smith said.

The investigation is ongoing and more charges could come once an autopsy is complete.

That mother also has another child who is now in the care of a family member.

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