Investigators have not disclosed a possible motive in the apartment shooting that left the 4-year-old girl in intensive care.
MONROE, Ga. — A Georgia mother was jailed on multiple felony charges after police accused her of shooting her 4-year-old daughter several times inside a Walton County apartment.
Ashley Brown, 31, of Monroe, was arrested following the Thursday night shooting on Ridge Road. The child was hospitalized in critical condition, while detectives continued working to determine what led to the gunfire and whether anyone else witnessed the shooting.
Officers were called to the 700 block of Ridge Road at about 9:44 p.m. for what police described as a report of unknown trouble. Brown made the call that brought officers to the apartment, according to a police account reported by WSB-TV.
A 12-year-old girl answered the door and told officers that her younger sister was bleeding. Police entered the home and found Brown with the wounded child in a room. Investigators said a firearm was on the floor near them.
Officers immediately took custody of the child and began lifesaving measures. They carried her outside to Walton County emergency medical workers, who transported her to a local hospital before she was taken by ambulance to an Atlanta-area pediatric trauma center.
Police charged Brown with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, two counts of first-degree cruelty to children, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and discharging a firearm within 300 feet of a roadway. She remained in the Walton County Jail after her arrest.
The charges describe allegations and do not establish guilt. Publicly available reports did not provide information about Brown’s first court appearance, whether bond had been set or whether she had retained an attorney.
Police had not announced a suspected motive. Authorities also had not explained how many shots were fired, where the firearm came from or what happened in the apartment immediately before the child was wounded.
Investigators said Brown acknowledged shooting her daughter, according to reporting that cited the Monroe Police Department. Police had not released a transcript, recording or detailed account of any statement attributed to her.
The girl’s 12-year-old sister was inside the apartment when officers arrived, but authorities did not report that she was physically injured. Police did not release the names of either child, and officials had not disclosed who was caring for the older girl after Brown’s arrest.
Neighbors described seeing emergency lights and officers moving quickly through the apartment complex. One resident said she saw an officer carrying the wounded girl toward an ambulance. Police officials called the case deeply troubling for the community and the first responders involved.
The child was described as stable but still in critical condition Friday morning. No newer medical update had been publicly announced as of Sunday, and the police investigation remained active.
Author note: Last updated July 26, 2026.