What started as allegations of abuse against a disabled adult Saturday afternoon ended with a woman behind bars after a seven-hour standoff in Troup County after she threatened to kill her husband and herself, officials said.
Deputies went to perform a wellness check on the disabled adult who had “possibly been tied to a bed and was the victim of physical abuse,” the Troup County Sheriff’s Office said. When deputies arrived at the home in the 7900 block of West Point Road around 3:45 p.m., they spoke to the alleged victim and could not find enough evidence of the abuse, officials said.
The victim was placed with another family member until the investigation could move forward Monday, authorities said.
Around 6:20 p.m., deputies were called back to the home after the mother of the disabled adult was arguing with her husband, the office said. At some point, 57-year-old Debra Ann Kight placed a handgun at her husband’s head and threatened to shoot him and herself, according to authorities.
The husband was able to escape from the home and meet with deputies outside.
Sometime after, Kight began communicating with deputies via phone that she would harm herself and law enforcement if they made any attempts to take her to jail, officials said. The Newnan and Fulton County police departments were called for assistance due to the circumstances, and communication continued.
Kight was not willing to come out of the home, though.
Nearly six hours into the standoff, the tactical team began approaching the home with armored vehicles and continued communication over a public address system, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities used flashbang noises and eventually chemical agents to get Kight out of the home.
Around 1:30 a.m., Kight exited the home and was taken into custody. She is being held at the Troup County Jail and is charged with felony aggravated assault.
“We certainly understand the difficulty this placed on some of the residents in the area given the nature of it being Christmas night. However, we appreciate their cooperation and understanding,” the Troup County Sheriff’s Office said.
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