“My hat’s off to the 16-year-old girl, challenged with such an unbelievable incident,” Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said at a news conference.
A South Carolina mother was arrested after allegedly killing one of her daughters and attempting to kill another, who was saved by the woman's oldest child who woke to screams and sprang into action, authorities said.
Jaime Bradley Brun, 37, has been charged with murder and attempted murder in connection with the May 19 incident, according to the Beaufort County Sherriff’s Office.
Brun's 16-year-old daughter woke to screams from her 8-year-old sister woke at around 1:30 a.m., Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said at a news conference. The teen followed the screams to the bathroom, where she found their mother allegedly attempting to drown the 8-year-old, Tanner said.
The older sibling managed to save her young sister and go to a relative's home nearby, where she called 911, the sheriff said.
“My hat’s off to the 16-year-old girl, challenged with such an unbelievable incident and in your own home, involving your own family members. And have the ability to do what she did, so I think she needs to be respected for that,” Tanner said.
Deputies arrived at the home, where they found Brun and her 6-year-old daughter. The 6-year-old was rushed to a hospital, but was unable to be saved, according to Tanner.
It is unclear why Brun allegedly attacked her children, officials said.
“I’m not a mental health expert; it’s not my job to determine if someone has a mental health problem,” the sheriff said.
Brun attempted to grab a deputy's gun as she was being arrested, cops said. Officers used a Taser on Brun to get her under physical control, authorities said.
Brun is currently being held without bond in the Beaufort County Detention Center, according to the sheriff’s office. Brun's attorney has not responded to Inside Edition Digital's request for comment.
The two surviving children are currently being cared for by other family members that live in the county, Tanner said.
