Woman charged in school shooting incident in Wilcox Co.

From the West Alabama Newsroom–

A Wilcox County woman is facing charges — after a shooting incident involving a child — at an elementary school in Pine Hill.

The shooting happened Tuesday afternoon at F.S. Ervin Elementary School.

Authorities say a 5 year old student who was left in a vehicle unattended got a hold of his mother’s gun. And fired a shot into the building.

Now — the child’s mother — 32 year old Aleah Coates of Pine Hill — is charged with endangering-the-welfare-of-a-child — and reckless-endangerment.

“It’s prohibited to have weapons on a school campus anyway,” said Pine Hill Police Chief Nikisha Gailes.

“But if you’re going to go out there in your vehicle dropping off a kid or picking up a kid, those guns have to be secured. They need to be secure.”

Coates is free tonight awaiting a court date.

The charges against she’s facing are both Class A misdemeanors.