NICOLE LAYCOCK ARRESTED AFTER DISCHARGING REVOLVER NEAR 5-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER
A 42-year-old local woman faces multiple severe charges including child abuse, reckless endangerment, and illegal firearm possession following a response by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office to a call on Whispering Winds Way on October 5, 2026.
According to an incident report filed by Deputy Aidyn Smith, deputies arrived at 58 Whispering Winds Way around 7:30 p.m. after receiving a call claiming a male involved in a stabbing was present. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the suspect, who initially gave a fake identity as “Ezra Tipton.” However, deputies spotted a driver’s license nearby identifying her as Nicole Elizabeth Laycock.
Firearms and Inappropriate Living Conditions
Officers observed Laycock sitting outside a camper with a loaded .22-caliber Heritage Barkeep revolver resting on an outside table within reaching distance of her 5-year-old daughter. A spent casing inside the cylinder confirmed the weapon had been fired. Laycock admitted to discharging the gun into the air because she claimed to see an unfamiliar male 50 to 100 yards away, despite living in close proximity to neighboring residences.
Further investigation revealed severe squalor and neglect:
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Unsafe Storage: Inside the camper, deputies found an unsecured pill bottle containing 21.5 Ropinirole Hydrochloride pills easily accessible to the child, along with marijuana equipment.
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Severe Neglect: Rotten food and trash were scattered throughout the interior and exterior of the vehicle. Laycock told deputies that she and her young daughter slept outside most nights.
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Child Protective Intervention: A neighboring resident provided a witness statement describing a prior incident four weeks earlier where Laycock physically struck the young child with a closed fist. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) responded to the scene and took the 5-year-old girl into custody.
Arrest and Felony Charges
When deputies informed Laycock she was under arrest, she actively resisted by gripping a sofa, screaming, and refusing to comply before officers brought her under control.
A background check revealed Laycock has a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault, making her possession of a firearm illegal.
Laycock was transported to the Cumberland County Jail and faces six criminal charges:
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Child Abuse / Neglect / Endangerment (Bond: $100,000)
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Reckless Endangerment (Bond: $75,000)
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Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Bond: $75,000)
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Possession of a Handgun While Under the Influence (Bond: $5,000)
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Criminal Impersonation (Bond: $5,000)
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Resisting Arrest (Bond: $5,000)
Her combined bond has been set at $265,000, and a court date is scheduled for November 9, 2026, in General Sessions Court.
