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An Alabama mother is facing manslaughter charges following the tragic death of her toddler son, who was fatally shot after she allegedly left her children unsupervised with unsecured firearms.
Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey announced that Evelyn Leyva Etress has also been charged with aggravated child abuse and drug-related offenses in connection with the incident, as reported by WVTM.
Etress was taken into custody on Wednesday but was released on Saturday after posting a $90,000 bond.
According to records, the tragic event unfolded at the Blount County residence where 2-year-old Noah lived with his four siblings: two 4-year-old girls, a 9-year-old, and a 13-year-old. Police responded to a call at the home around 10 a.m. that morning.
Etress explained that she had left the 4-year-old twins and Noah alone in the master bedroom to prepare tea. She recounted hearing a “loud noise” and rushed to find the older children fleeing from a closet. Noah was discovered on the floor, bleeding, with a handgun nearby.
According to WBMA, Etress said that gun had been just lying out on a dresser.
Blount County Sheriff Mark Moon said three unsecured long guns were also found in the home. One weapon was seized.
“The public record that we saw filed in this with the sheriff’s office, there were at least four, if not five firearms that were loaded in that home where the children had easy access to,” said Casey.
Five children were taken from the home and placed in the custody of the Alabama Department of Human Resources, WVTM said.
Casey said the children’s father was a convicted felon who was pardoned last year and got his firearm rights back. He has not been charged.