PITTSBURGH — A mother was arrested after Pittsburgh Police said she threatened to shoot her children and put them in harm’s way.
Officers were called to Madiera Street in Homewood South on Wednesday after an 11 year old sent a text message to a family member, saying “Please help. Mom has a gun, and there’s fire.”
Court documents said when police arrived at the house, they noticed smoke coming out of the home. Rhodesia Howard answered the door and told police she was cooking. Police alerted the fire department and removed four children, 6 to 13 years old, from the home.
One child told police that Howard was chasing him around with a hammer, so he locked himself in the bathroom. Court documents say Howard then got a gun and pointed it at all the children, saying “I got six bullets and six of us.”
Another child told police the fire was caused by Howard lighting paper on fire, and then putting it in a trash can, not from cooking, as she told police.
Howard was arrested and faces multiple charges, including endangering the welfare of children, terroristic threats, and assault.
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