Theresa McIntosh, 41, died as a result of the shooting

Teen, 14, Allegedly Shot Mom Dead in the Back of the Head After They Got into Argument About Stolen Tablet

Theresa McIntosh.Credit : 

Theresa Leela/Facebook

A 14-year-old boy has been charged in connection with the shooting death of his mother, after the pair reportedly got into an argument over an electronic tablet.

Police responded to a report of a 41-year-old female with a gunshot wound to the head in Cheyenne, Wy., at around 12:50 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 7, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said in a news release.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered the woman “unconscious but breathing, with a visible gunshot wound to the back of her head,” police said.

The victim was transported to a local hospital and then airlifted to a medical center in Colorado, where she ultimately died of her injuries, per the release.

Authorities added that “a juvenile was taken into custody at the scene.”

Teen, 14, Allegedly Shot Mom Dead in the Back of the Head After They Got into Argument About Stolen Tablet

Theresa McIntosh.Theresa Leela/Facebook

The woman was later identified as Theresa McIntosh, and the alleged shooter was identified as her teenage son, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Cowboy State Daily reported, citing a police affidavit submitted to the Laramie County Circuit Court.

In the police affidavit, the teen initially stated that his mother shot herself, but he later admitted to shooting her himself after an argument over a tablet that he allegedly stole from one of her cleaning business clients, the outlets said.

The 14-year-old said he was angry at his mother for calling him names and insulting him during the argument, and he stated, per the court documents obtained by the outlets, that he had thought about killing her in the past, “specifically when she would make him do things he didn’t want to do.”

The teen said he shot McIntosh while she was in his bedroom, using a gun that his mother usually kept in her car.

He retrieved the weapon from his closet after he took it from his mom’s vehicle about a week earlier, following a “big fight” over his math grades, the affidavit states, per Cowboy State Daily.

McIntosh’s common-law husband, who is also the teenager’s biological father, was home at the time of the shooting. He told police he did not realize anything happened because he was downstairs playing video games while wearing noise-cancelling headphones, according to the affidavit obtained by the outlets.

While gaming, the father said, per the police affidavit, that he heard a “pop,” which he thought sounded like the popping of a balloon, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Cowboy State Daily reported.

When he later went upstairs, the man found the 14-year-old standing outside the bedroom, and then saw McIntosh on the ground. He said his son initially told him that he “didn’t know what happened.”

The man called 911 and then attempted to tend to McIntosh’s wounds until help arrived.

Teen, 14, Allegedly Shot Mom Dead in the Back of the Head After They Got into Argument About Stolen Tablet

Theresa McIntosh.Theresa Leela/Facebook

“I don’t want to think what I think happened,” the man told police, the outlets reported, citing the affidavit.

“I don’t even want to put it into words. I don’t want to think that because it’s a really f–cked up thing for a parent to think,” he added.

The father said his son was seeing a counselor and was on medication for mental health issues at the time of the incident, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

The 14-year-old has since been charged with first-degree murder and will be tried as an adult, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Cowboy State Daily, and Oil City News.

If convicted, the teen faces life in prison. It is not clear if he currently has legal representation to comment on his behalf.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.