An Alabama mother was taken into custody last Friday following the fatal shooting of her seven-year-old son. Shannon Renee Karr is now facing a capital murder charge for the death of her child, who was shot twice at close range with a handgun in their Moulton home near Huntsville.
Lawrence County Coroner Scott Norwood confirmed to reporters that the boy was found in his mother’s bed and was pronounced dead at the scene. The authorities were alerted to the incident around 2:04 a.m. after Karr herself reported the shooting.
The boy, whose identity has not been released, was a student at Danville Elementary School in Morgan County. “Things like this don’t occur very often,” Norwood commented on the tragic incident.
Karr’s preliminary hearing is set for August 23. It remains unclear whether Karr has legal representation to speak on her behalf.
The Moulton Police Department received a 911 call from the home, and upon arrival, they found Karr outside the house. She informed the officers about the deceased child inside. The child’s body was later transported from the scene for further autopsy.
Karr made her initial court appearance on Friday morning. She will be held without bond in the Lawrence County Jail until her attorney can file a motion for a bond hearing.
The Lawrence County judge warned Karr that the legal process would be lengthy due to several pending capital murder cases. The community remains in shock, struggling to come to terms with the tragic incident.