Woman tried to drown child in backyard swimming pool, authorities say

A 31-year-old woman in Tennessee is accused of trying to drown a child in a backyard swimming pool, allegedly refusing to let the youngster back above the surface until another adult physically pulled her away from the victim.

Mikaylee Rae Beirne is charged with one count of aggravated child abuse, neglect, or endangerment in connection with the Wednesday afternoon incident, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday to a home on Cochran Road in Jonesborough after receiving a report of a disturbance involving several children at a backyard pool, Washington County Sheriff Keith Sexton said in a news release.

According to investigators, Beirne was in the pool with multiple children while another adult was inside the residence.

"One of the children came inside to alert the other adult that Beirne was forcing one child underwater," the sheriff's office wrote in the release. "The adult witness ran to the pool and demanded that Beirne release the child, which she did not. The witness grabbed Beirne and assisted the child out of the water."

The adult witness then brought all of the children inside the home and called 911.

Before deputies arrived, another adult came to the residence and briefly encountered Beirne, who then drove away from the scene, investigators said.

Deputies later found the child with what they described as minor injuries and bruising consistent with witness accounts of what had happened. Authorities said Beirne was located a short time later, taken into custody without incident and transported to jail.

Authorities have not revealed the victim's age or gender, nor have they disclosed the child's relationship to Beirne.

Court records show Beirne was booked into the Washington County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond and made an initial court appearance Thursday. It was not immediately clear when she was scheduled to return to court.