A Tennessee woman has been arrested after police say she attempted to drown a child in a backyard swimming pool while another adult was inside the home.
Mikaylee Rae Beirne, 31, is facing an aggravated child abuse and neglect charge following the alleged incident Wednesday in Johnson City, according to Washington County Sheriff Keith Sexton.
Witnesses told authorities that Beirne had been swimming with several children in the backyard pool as another adult remained inside the residence, WVLT reported.
One of the children in the pool reportedly saw Beirne forcing a child beneath the water and rushed inside to warn the adult in the home.
The adult ran outside and “demanded that Beirne release the child, which she did not,” Sexton said.
The adult then physically intervened, grabbed Beirne and helped pull the child from the pool.
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Afterward, all of the children were taken inside the residence, and 911 was called.
Authorities have not clarified the relationship between Beirne and the child she is accused of holding underwater.
Soon after, Beirne had a “brief interaction” with another adult who arrived at the property and then drove away from the neighborhood before police arrived on scene.
The young victim — who has not been identified — appeared to have “minor injuries and bruising consistent with witness statements of the incident,” according to Sexton.
Beirne was located by police shortly after and was arrested by WCSO.
She is being held on a $50,000 bond in Washington County Detention Center, according to online records and WCSO.
The Post reached out to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for more information.
