SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas woman accused of killing her 14-year-old son before a standoff with police at her apartment has entered a plea to the charges.
On Thursday, Kylee Hodges, 43, Wichita, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the shooting death of Claude Hodges Jr., according to the The Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.
Just before 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28, police arrived at an apartment at 8405 W. Central in Wichita, to check on 14-year-old Claude Hodges after his father called concerned for his welfare.
When they arrived at the apartment they knocked and received no response. They observed a bullet hole in the apartment's exterior wall and also found a fired bullet on the ground near the entrance.
Police officers quickly obtained a key and entered the apartment. Upon entering they found a woman, later identified as Kylee Hodges of Wichita, holding a handgun. A shotgun was also nearby. Officers quickly withdrew from the apartment and notified negotiators.
The police negotiators began talking with Hodges at around 8:20 p.m. A tactical team, comprised of both police and deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office were called to the apartment at around 9:45 p.m.
Discussions with Hodges continued for several hours in an effort to convince her to disarm and exit peacefully. At one point they convinced Hodges to come out of the apartment and leave her handgun on the ground outside, but she remained close to the gun.
At around 1:40 a.m., Hodges quickly picked up the handgun again, and advanced toward officers while pointing the firearm in their direction. Two SWAT officers from Wichita police each fired one shot toward Hodges, striking her.
When officers went back in the apartment, they found the teen dead in a bedroom.
Kylee Hodges was treated at a local hospital and booked into the Sedgwick County Detention Center. She will be sentenced next month, according to the district attorney's office.
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