In a tragic incident on December 15, 2017, in Buckeye, Arizona, a two-year-old White / Caucasian boy named Hudson Pettibone was fatally shot. The devastating event unfolded inside his family's home, where authorities responded to a 911 call regarding a shooting. Upon arrival, first responders discovered the young child deceased at the scene from a single gunshot wound.
The boy's mother, 26-year-old Alyssa Pettibone, was found in the home with him, suffering from what were later
determined to be self-inflicted stab wounds. Investigators learned that after shooting her son, Alyssa had attempted to take her own life. Her initial attempt to use the same firearm on herself failed because a bullet had been loaded backward in the magazine, causing the gun to jam. She then resorted to stabbing herself in the neck.
Following the incident, Alyssa Pettibone was transported to a hospital for treatment of her injuries. After her release on December 18, 2017, she was arrested and taken into custody. She was subsequently booked into the Maricopa County Jail and charged with second-degree murder in connection with her son's death. During her initial court appearance, a judge set her bond at $750,000. The Arizona Department of Child Safety confirmed that there were no prior reports of abuse or neglect involving Hudson or his mother.
