Mother accused of 7-year-old's murder gave a horrifying reason for her crime
A woman has revealed the horrifying reason that she allegedly drowned her seven-year-old daughter.
Brandi Elliott from Nashville, Tennessee, has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly killing her daughter by drowning her in Drakes Creek in Hendersonville on Saturday.
Investigators determined that Elliott had taken her daughter, named Piper, to a shallow section of water on a greenway across the road from the family home.
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Elliot, who worked at McDonald's, reportedly told investigators that once there she held her daughter under the water 'like a large mouth bass' until she felt her 'bubbling', according to court documents.
The 33-year-old also allegedly told her daughter to be quiet as she held her down.
After she pulled her daughter from the water, Elliott reportedly realised what she had done and tried to revive Piper using CPR.
Piper was taken to Hendersonville Hospital, where she was tragically pronounced dead at 11.45pm.
While speaking to investigators, Elliott gave the chilling reason why she had allegedly killed Piper.
Elliott told investigators that she had left the family's apartment and gone down into the stairwell as she had wanted to have some time alone 'after having a rough day'.
Her daughter had followed her down the stairs to join her, reportedly not wanting to leave Elliott alone and stay in the apartment by herself.
Elliott said it was her daughter's refusal to leave her alone which led her to allegedly kill her.
The 33-year-old has now been charged with first-degree murder and is being held in Sumner County Jail, where she has not been granted bail.
In a court hearing, prosecutors acting for the state of Tennessee have said that the death penalty is an option in the case.
However, the District Attorney has said that prosecutors are not yet sure if they will be seeking the death penalty.
A further hearing has been set for Elliott on August 14.
Elliott has received treatment for mental health conditions in the past, and claimed to have had postpartum depression.
Speaking in court, she said: “When my daughter was two, I kind of lost it like I did this time. I had postpartum depression and they gave me medicine for it. I was having a really bad time with sleeping.”
Elliott was not under the care of any mental health professional at the time of the alleged crime, and her attorney said they do not want her to undergo a mental health assessment at this time.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help support Piper's father, a military veteran who is unable to work after being injured in combat. If you would like to donate, click here.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Kit Roberts