A mother in Anderson, Indiana, is facing criminal charges after she shot and killed her 17-year-old daughter, believing she was an intruder, according to police.
Chief deputy prosecutor for the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office Andrew Hanna confirmed on Monday, January 5, that Tia Holmes was arrested on the preliminary charges of neglect of a dependent and reckless homicide, both felonies, according to Fox59.
Holmes, 38, is currently being detained at Madison County Jail following her arrest.
Anderson Police Department officers responded to her residence at 5 a.m. on December 28, 2025, after they received a report that someone had been shot, according to Fox59.
Upon their arrival at the home, officers discovered her 17-year-old daughter suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim, who was identified as Tianna Harris by the Madison County Coroner’s Office, died later that evening.
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Fox59 obtained court documents on Tuesday, January 6, that revealed Holmes’ involvement in Harris’ death. According to a probable cause affidavit, a detective stated that Holmes was not alone inside the home when the fatal shooting took place. In fact, detectives believe that there were two other people inside the home when the tragic incident occurred.
A detective spoke with one of the witnesses, who identified themselves as the victim’s sibling. The witness told the detective that Holmes often “claims to see shadows or someone there.” After noting Holmes’ suspicions that there was an intruder in the house, the witness said that she would typically look for her weapon and “go investigate.”
The witness went on to say that Holmes killed Harris “because she doesn’t know how to sit down and chill.”
Meanwhile, a second witness told investigators that Holmes was walking around the residence and appeared to be looking for an intruder earlier that evening.
“I feel like he’s here, I feel like somebody is here,” the witness claimed Holmes said prior to the shooting.
The witness recalled telling Holmes that nobody was inside the home and that she should calm down. The witness then said that they fell asleep and later woke up to the sound of the gunshot, according to the court documents.
After the witness woke up, they found Harris suffering from the gunshot wound. The witness recalled Holmes saying, “Oh my God, I didn’t know it was her; I thought he was trying to get in here.”
According to the documents, the witness told detectives that Holmes would frequently worry that her ex-husband was in her house. The witness added that Holmes had a protective order against him.
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Holmes was interviewed by detectives on January 5, and she shared her account of what happened. She claimed that she fell asleep in the living room and later woke up to strange noises. She then grabbed a handgun that she kept under her mattress and did a “sweep” of the home.
After Holmes believed she saw a shadow, she proceeded to shoot the gun. Soon after, Holmes realized she shot her daughter after hearing a “grunting” noise and turned the light on.
Holmes was arrested following the interview. She is currently in custody, while it’s not immediately clear if she has entered a plea or retained legal representation.
The Anderson Police Department did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment.
