By Ron Clayton

Correspondent

Polk County authorities said today that four children watched their father beat and shoot their mother and slew her friend on Friday.

Polk County Detective Kevin Cole said Penny Waldroup had brought the children to visit their father, David Bradley Waldroup, accompanied by her friend, Leslie Susan Bradshaw.

Detective Cole said the estranged couple began to argue and he allegedly attacked both women. Ms. Bradshaw died of a gunshot wound. Ms. Waldroup was shot, cut with a knife and machete and beaten with a shovel, Detective Cole said.

He said Mr. Waldroup, 32, is being held without bond in the Polk County Jail on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Ms. Waldroup is in critical condition at Erlanger hospital in Chattanooga, a hospital spokeswoman said. The children were handed over to the state Department of Human Services.

E-mail Ron Clayton at jwalton@timesfreepress.com

See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.