A Kenton, Tennessee mother has been indicted on multiple murder charges after authorities say she fatally shot her two young daughters — one of them wheelchair-bound — before turning a knife on herself.
Jessica Quarles, the fiancée of Tim Harris, was taken into custody Monday after being released from the hospital where she was treated for critical stab wounds. An Obion County grand jury returned a formal indictment charging her in the deaths of Landrie Harris, 1, and McKenna Young, 11.
Charges against Jessica Quarles
- First-degree premeditated murder
- First-degree felony murder
- Aggravated child abuse / neglect of a vulnerable child
- Aggravated child abuse / neglect of a child 8 and under
Tim Harris discovered the bodies of both girls on June 13 when he returned home. Kenton Mayor Danny Jowers confirmed the deaths were intentional. Quarles has been booked into the Obion County Jail without bond.
“He doesn’t understand it at all. He’s just devastated. He’s numb. You never really realize that people could be capable of things like this — especially your own children.” — Haley Paige Wilson, longtime friend of Tim Harris
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Kenton Police Department, Obion County Sheriff’s Office, and the 27th Judicial District Attorney General’s Office all joined the investigation the same day the bodies were discovered.
McKenna Young, 11, used a wheelchair. Both children had been shot. Harris, who is father to the younger victim, has been described as devastated and “numb” since the killings. A GoFundMe has been launched by friends to support him through the tragedy.
Quarles’ family, who held a candlelight vigil after the incident, says they are “heartbroken” and are asking for prayers for all families involved. A family member stated: “It’s about remembering our sweet McKenna and Landrie now. Their lives mattered and they were so loved.”
The case remains under active investigation by multiple agencies in Obion County.
