A Knoxville couple face felony charges after the report of an incident Saturday involving the use of airsoft guns to discipline children. 36-year-old Christina Eakes and her boyfriend, 41-year-old Jacob Willmott recently purchased airsoft pistols. When a deputy responded to a report, Eakes said that she has attempted to discipline Willmott’s children with the pistol, and that the juveniles are “supposed to get the idea she is serious” when she takes the safety off. She said that she sometimes shoots the walls inside their trailer as a warning to the juveniles.

She said that on Saturday, an 11-year-old juvenile would not obey instructions, she attempted to shoot the floor near where the juvenile was standing, and that the projectile bounced off the floor and hit the juvenile in the leg. After this, the juvenile allegedly held a pistol to his head and threatened suicide. This juvenile was not at the residence during the investigation. However, the investigating deputy interviewed a 7-year-old juvenile, who explained that their father would sometimes shoot the children with the pistol, and showed marks on his body from being shot. Willmott was then interviewed, and said that he never shoots the children above the waist, and that the children do not wear eye protection when he shoots them.

Both Willmott and Eakes were taken into custody and face child endangerment by means of torture causing bodily and emotional injuries. A preliminary hearing is set for January 28th.