34-year-old Ashley Elizabeth Jones, a mother from Alabama, is said to have attempted to drown her son in the bathtub. This came after he disclosed to her that he would rather live with his father.
Jones has now been charged with aggravated child abuse.
The 10-year-old boy disclosed to detectives that his mother, who has joint custody with his father, struck and bit him.
After the boy told her that he wanted to reside with his father full-time, Jones is accused of throwing bleach on her son’s body.
Records show that the child stated that he had gone to take a bath and to get the bleach off of him when his mother came behind him into the restroom. She then “jumped into the tub with him, and proceeded to grab his face, shoving it under water,” for close to 45 seconds.
The 10-year-old told investigators that in order to survive, he had to “play dead” while in the water. Later, his mother is said to have locked him in a closet for 3 hours.
Jones was taken into custody on April 23 after the supposed abuse had been going on for over a week. The child had also been seen with visible scrapes and bruises which he said was done at the hands of his mother.
The boy had contacted his father and requested that he pick him up that Sunday. The father told detectives that his son seem distressed and had fled the house to meet him with only his “Xbox and clothing.”
The father told his son that he needed to ask his mother prior to an unscheduled pickup. The child then pleaded with his father not to say anything about the supposed abuse. However, the father called authorities to make a report.
The following day, Jones was brought into the police station for questioning. As she was being interviewed, she denied all of the accusations.
Jones has now posted a $50,000 bail and has been released from jail. She is set to appear in court again on May 20.
