Arizona mother Alyssa Pettibone charged with shooting her 2-year-old son to death

Alyssa Pettibone, a 26-year-old Buckeye woman, has been charged with shooting and killing her two-year-old son, Arizona authorities have said.

The police arrived at Pettibone's home on the 1400 block of S 230th Avenue after her mother called 911 saying that Alyssa had shot her son, Hudson Pettibone, and then tried to kill herself.

Pettibone's mother told police that she found her holding a gun to her head, AZ Family website reported.

She was also found with stab wounds and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Police say that the stab wounds were self-inflicted.

After being treated at a hospital on Monday (18 December), she was arrested on a second-degree murder charge, Buckeye police said.

The toddler was shot one time, Tamela Skaggs, Buckeye police spokeswoman told Fox News. After the family's request, police released the name of the toddler.

"There was somebody injured, but no suspects, so I was thinking accident or accidental shooting," Jeff Morris, Pettibone's neighbour told Fox 10 Phoenix.

"I don't understand why a mother would do that to her child," he said. "You hear a lot about this. Holidays bring out the worst in people, I guess."

Pettibone's parents, who lived with her, attended the arraignment.

Meanwhile, prosecutors asked for bail, telling the judge that Pettibone was a danger to herself. She was ordered held on $750,000 (£559875.00) cash bail, Fox 10 Phoenix reported.

Although it is not yet clear whether Pettibone is responsible for the murder, investigators don't believe a third person was involved.