A mom in Evansville, Indiana, could be spending the next 20 to 40 years of her life in prison after the death of her tween daughter. Ashley Bredhold was found guilty of neglect in near-record timing. In 2024, her daughter was found dead in her bedroom. Apparently, the mom hadn’t checked on the girl, who was a Type 1 diabetic, for hours, which directly resulted in her death. Bredhold and her husband seemed to have trouble managing the girl’s illness, which seems ridiculous because so many kids are diabetic, and it’s a disease that typically comes with a clear care plan. But they evidently chose not to get their daughter the help she needed to thrive, and now they’re paying for it with time behind bars.
Ashley Bredhold was found guilty of two counts of neglect of a dependent, resulting in death, the Vanderburgh County prosecutor shared in a news release. The deliberation period was only 17 minutes after a four-day trial.
Her 12-year-old daughter, Alice Bredhold, was found dead on July 4, 2024, according to the release. Prosecutors claimed her mother hadn’t checked on her between 1 a.m. and 5 p.m. that day.
“When the Defendant finally saw Alice in person at 5:00 pm, she noticed that Alice was not waking up, clammy, and foaming at the mouth – but she did not call the doctor’s office or 911 to take Alice to the hospital; instead, she had pizza ordered and called a relative to say that they might not make it to the fireworks show,” the release read. “It was not until 2 hours later, at 7:00 pm, that a 911 call was ultimately placed. By that time, Alice’s body was cold and could not be revived.”
The girl’s cause of death was determined to be diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening complication for someone with diabetes. A forensic pathologist noted that her liver was four times the normal size and her heart was two times the normal size due to complications with her illness.
Alice Bredhold was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in March 2020, WFIE reported. During the trial, prosecutors said her parents didn’t do a good job helping the tween manage her illness, even though they were told they needed to do so.
During Ashley Bredhold’s trial, her husband, Brent, who has already been convicted in the case, took the stand, WEHT reported. While he was testifying, a series of text messages between him and his wife about their daughter’s health were read aloud.
Brent Bredhold claimed Alice’s omni pen wasn’t working in the days before her death. He was supposed to get a new one.
Prosecutor Winston Lin read another conversation between Brent Bredhold and his daughter. She said that her chest was hurting, and that drinking water “felt like drinking acid,” per WEHT.
He told her to talk to Ashley, and the girl shared that her mother told her to “drink more water.”
Brent Bredhold was charged with neglect causing death, but a jury found him guilty of neglect causing serious bodily injury in October 2025. He was sentenced to nine years, WEHT reported.
According to the prosecution’s news release, Alice Bredhold was hospitalized on “multiple occasions” for complications that arose from her diabetes.
“This heartbreaking case highlights the need to speak up for innocent children placed in dangerous situations by their parents who disregard their duty to keep them safe and healthy,” Prosecutor Diana Moers shared in the release. “I am proud of the tireless efforts by my office to bring increased accountability and visibility to crimes involving children. Everyone in the community needs to do their part to raise awareness; one child dying of neglect is one too many.”
She continued, saying, “Alice is no longer here with us, but the justice that was achieved through this trial will resonate loudly and speak clearly that our community will not accept any excuses for mistreatment of kids, especially by parents.”
Ashley Bredhold is scheduled to be sentenced on March 19, 2026.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
