“I did what I had to do,” the woman, Kendra Scott, allegedly told police

NEED TO KNOW

• A Tennessee mother has been charged with first-degree murder after allegedly shooting and killing a man who was hiding under her child’s bed
• A witness told police they heard a gunshot and saw the woman standing in her yard, saying, “I shot him”
• A juvenile in the home at the time of the incident told investigators they had invited the victim into the home earlier in the night without their mother’s knowledge

A mother in Tennessee has been charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm after allegedly shooting and killing a man who was hiding under her daughter’s bed.

Officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 3000 block of Travis Road in Memphis on July 16 at approximately 1:40 a.m. local time, per an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE that was submitted by the Memphis Police Department to the state of Tennessee.

Upon arriving at the scene, police found an unresponsive man lying in the front yard “suffering from a gunshot wound to the back of his head,” per the affidavit.

The man, who was tentatively identified as Rodderius Morton, was pronounced dead at the scene. His age has not been released.

Police then spoke to resident Kendra Scott, who told officers that she came home and “saw a dude under my kid’s bed.”

Scott, 36, then told police, “I did what I had to do,” according to the affidavit.

Officers also spoke to a neighbor, who said he came outside after hearing a gunshot. He said he saw a male who had been shot near the front porch of Scott’s home and Scott standing in the front yard saying, “I shot him, I shot him,” while holding a gun.

Police spoke to a juvenile who was allegedly in the home at the time of the incident.

The juvenile, whose name has not been released, told police that they had invited Morton into the home at about 1:20 or 1:30 a.m., per the affidavit.

The juvenile then told police that Scott arrived home and began yelling, “Who’s at my house?”

The juvenile told police that they were afraid of Scott, who had a gun in her hand and had previously said that if she “sees a boy in my house I will put a hole in his ass,” per the affidavit.

The juvenile said Scott then discovered Morton hiding under the juvenile’s bed.

The juvenile went on to say that Morton gathered his things and left the home, at which point they heard a gunshot.

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Scott has since been charged with first-degree murder and employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, per Shelby County public court records.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Scott’s attorney, Blake Ballin, said the incident “started with the worst nightmare of any parent” and claimed that the juvenile involved was a 13-year-old girl.

“One of the key questions in this case will be whether anyone could act rationally in this circumstance,” Ballin added.

Scott is currently being held without bond. Her first arraignment hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 24, per public court records.

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