Mystery as Nashville mother charged with drowning daughter, 7, ‘because she was fed up of her’ suffers horror injury in prison
A Nashville mother accused of drowning her 7-year-old daughter “because she wanted to be left alone” has suffered a horrific injury in jail.
Brandi Elliott, 33, was being held without bail in the Sumner County Jail as she awaited her first-degree murder arraignment for allegedly drowning her daughter Piper in Drakes Creek in Hendersonville.
But last weekend she was taken to hospital with a serious head injury, News channel Channel 5 reports.
The prison has confirmed only that she was not attacked by another inmate. However, it is still unclear whether Elliott was on suicide watch or whether she intentionally harmed herself.
She previously claimed she had mental health issues when she first appeared in court last month.
Brandi Elliott, 33, was taken to a local hospital over the weekend with head injuries
She is being held without bail in the Sumner County Jail on charges of first-degree murder for allegedly drowning her daughter Piper in Drakes Creek in Hendersonville.
âWhen my daughter was two, I lost my temper just like this time,â Elliott said in court.
‘I had postpartum depression and they gave me medication for it. I couldn’t sleep very well.’
The mother also cried during the hearing as she told the judge that her husband, who had been disabled for years, was living with a disability.
However, both her lawyer and the prosecutor said they did not want her to undergo a mental health evaluation.
She has no criminal history and worked at McDonald’s.
Elliott claimed in court last month that she previously suffered from mental health issues
The mother reportedly told police she was having a bad day and Piper wouldn’t give her what she wanted: “alone time.”
But on July 13, Elliott decided to take Piper to a shallow area near Drake’s Creek and hold her underwater until bubbles appeared.
She allegedly told the child to be quiet while holding her under water ‘like a big bass’, WKRN defeated.
When police later questioned her about her daughter’s death, Elliott reportedly told officers she was having a bad day and that Piper wouldn’t give her “any time alone.”
Still, the mother said she didn’t realize what she had done until it was too late and emergency workers tried to resuscitate Piper.
According to police, the family is now witnesses in the investigation and a memorial has been erected along the green lane for Piper. They want to transform the lane into ‘Piper’s Pathway’.
Prosecutors have said they will consider seeking the death penalty for Elliot if she is convicted.
An online fundraiser has been set up for Piper’s father, Jon Elliott (right)
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe has been set up for Piper’s father, Jon Elliott.
“Jon needs as much donations as possible for the funeral and basic daily needs. He only receives a small disability payment each month,” it says.
Jon, who served in Iraq, also posted a tribute to Piper online: “I will miss my little girl forever.”