This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Duchesne County mom was charged for threatening one of her children with a loaded handgun.
A 34-year-old woman living in the small town of Talmage, about 15 miles north of Duchesne, was charged Tuesday with child abuse, a second-degree felony; and aggravated assault and witness tampering, both second-degree felonies.
Sometime between April and June 2, the children's mother was angry and grabbed .22-caliber handgun and held it to her juvenile son's head — who was cleaning the living room — and told him "I am going to blow your head off," according to a probable cause statement.
The child told investigators his mom showed him the gun and said it was loaded; he also saw it loaded.
His mom said she was going to put the gun in his mouth and pull the trigger, the affidavit states.
Another child witnessed the incident, but the gun was not pointed at her.
Before the two children's interview with police, the mother told her children if they told anyone anything, they would be placed in foster care and would never see her again.