Tennessee woman arrested for allegedly trying to drown child in pool

A woman was arrested for trying to drown a child in a backyard pool while another adult was inside the home, police say.

Mikaylee Rae Beirne, 31, was slapped with an aggravated child abuse and neglect charge after allegedly trying to drown a child in a pool in Johnson City on Wednesday, according to Washington County Sheriff Keith Sexton.

According to witnesses, Beirne was swimming with multiple children in a backyard pool while another adult was inside of the home, WVLT reported.


Mikaylee Rae Beirne, 31, was charged with aggravated child abuse and neglect after police say she tried to drown a child.Washington County Sheriff’s Office
One of the children swimming in the pool noticed that the 31-year-old woman was forcing a child under the water — and quickly ran inside the house to alert the other adult to the matter.

The other adult ran outside and “demanded that Beirne release the child, which she did not,” Sexton said.

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The adult then grabbed Beirne and helped the child out of the pool.

All the children were brought inside of the residence and 911 was called.

The relationship between Beirne and the child she was allegedly forcing under the water is unclear.

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A young child noticed what was happening and alerted another adult to what Beirne was doing.AFP via Getty Images
Soon after, Beirne had a “brief interaction” with another adult who arrived at the property and then drove away from the neighborhood before police arrived on scene.

The young victim — who has not been identified — appeared to have “minor injuries and bruising consistent with witness statements of the incident,” according to Sexton.


The Wasington County Sheriff’s Office attended the scene in Johnson County, Tennessee.AFP via Getty Images
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Beirne was located by police shortly after and was arrested by WCSO.

She is being held on a $50,000 bond in Washington County Detention Center, according to online records and WCSO.

The Post reached out to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for more information.

Source: https://nypost.com/2026/07/17/us-news/tennessee-woman-arrested-after-allegedly-trying-to-drown-child-in-pool/?dicbo=v2-AwJJQ57