Police have released the name of the woman who drove her vehicle into a pond in the middle of a field, partially submerging the vehicle with three children inside.
Sharnette Fowler, age 31, was charged with driving under he influence and endangerment. Inside the vehicle were Fowler's 2-, 5- and 8-year-old children.
Officials with the Metro Nashville Police Department said they got a call early Thursday morning from a child who told them what happened.
When police arrived on the scene at Craigmeade Drive, they said Fowler was on the ground mumbling and holding the 2-year-old. She reportedly had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. All three children were wet, cold and crying.
Investigators said they could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage. They asked Fowler to stand, but said she was unable to get up on her own. The officers on the scene said they attempted to conduct a field sobriety test, but the mother was unable to remain standing or to keep her eyes open.
According to reports, Fowler was driving while intoxicated and thought she was traveling to her apartment complex. That’s when she allegedly drove down a hill and into a field, landing with the front end of the car in water.
The 5-year-old inside the car was able to call 911 and stay on the line until police found the vehicle. One of the children told police their mother "kept falling to sleep while driving," despite his efforts to keep her awake.
Authorities said the children were unharmed, but they were taken to the hospital as a precaution. The Department of Children’s Services was called in to look for family to take the children.
Fowler was charged with driving under the influence and child endangerment. Officials said she was driving on a suspended license.
