A Utah woman has been arrested after allegedly fatally shooting her 2-year-old son before unsuccessfully trying to kill herself.
Valerie Peck, 40, is behind bars in Uintah County Jail, charged with aggravated murder and child abuse. She is accused of killing her 2-year-old son, Zack, on Monday before shooting herself in a failed suicide attempt, according to a sheriff's office news release.
According to a police affidavit, when Peck realized she had survived, she drove to a nearby canyon to try to “freeze to death,” the Deseret News reports.
However, authorities eventually found her after responding to reports of a 2-year-old being shot in the area of Fantasy Canyon. She was in her car with her son's body and allegedly admitted to driving around with his body for “several hours” after the alleged murder.
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Authorities transported Peck to a nearby hospital for her injuries. She was then booked into the county jail, where she is currently being held. It is unclear if she has an attorney.
"The sheriff’s office extends its most sincere condolences to all who knew and loved Zack," the news release states.
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