Lawyer explains new charges against 2023 Sweetwater shooting victim's mother
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — It's been more than two years since a 2-year-old was fatally shot at a Sweetwater home, and a grand jury recently indicted the child's mother on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
In this week's Ask Isaacs, 6 News' Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs discuss the case, and what can lead to the victim of a crime becoming a defendant.
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On February 12, a grand jury indicted Sophia Sloan and five men were indicted on charges of first degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of Alayna June Butts.
On February 14, 2023, Butts was one of five people who were injured in a shooting at a Sweetwater home. One person, the man believed to have shot Butts, was pronounced dead at the scene. Alayna died three days later.
Although four men, Liu Huerta, of Monroe County, Itzhui Huerta, of Monroe County, Francisco Lagunas Jr., of Loudon County, and Malachi Franklin, of Knox County were indicted in 2023, and a fifth man identified as Nathaniel Kain McEwan was charged in July 2023, it is unclear exactly what led to Sloan being indicted nearly two years after her daughter's death.
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Sloan is expected to appear in court on March 17. She is being held at the Monroe County Jail on a 300,000 bond.
If you have a legal question, send it to AskIsaacs@wate.com. To watch full episodes of Ask Isaacs, click here.
WATE's Lori Tucker and Attorney Greg Isaacs answer your legal questions from the WATE Alert Desk on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. and on WATE Channel 6 at 5:30 p.m.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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