A 10-year-old Alabama boy reportedly called his father to come pick him up, fearful of his mother. Ashley Elizabeth Jones, 34, allegedly abused her son over the course of several days and, according to the boy, attempted to drown him in the bathtub. He reportedly called his father on April 21, asking for help, and the father called police.
According to court documents obtained by AL.com, the child told his father, who shares joint custody with his mother, that the woman had been abusing him over the course of the week. He shared details of the alleged abuse with an investigator that ultimately led to his mother’s arrest.
Jones allegedly physically injured her child.
Per court documents, the child, whose name was not released, told police his mother continually abused him while he was with her from April 15 through April 21, People reported. During that time, Jones reportedly bit and hit the boy, which left marks on the child. An investigator noted signs of abuse on the child.
The boy reportedly told his mother he wanted to live with his father.
According to People, the boy told investigators that when he informed his mother he no longer wanted to live with her and wished to be with his dad, she allegedly doused him with bleach. Per court documents, when he tried to rinse off the bleach, his mother allegedly tried to drown him. She reportedly “jumped into the tub with him, and proceeded to grab his face, shoving it under water,” the affidavit reads.
The child claims he pretended to be dead to get his mother to stop.
Jones allegedly locked her son in the closet after the bathtub incident.
Court documents state the child was reportedly put in a closet for what he felt like was hours after being in the bathtub. At some point on April 21, he called his father and asked him to get him. According to court documents, the parents followed a court-ordered custody agreement, and the father was apparently hesitant to pick up the child until his son mentioned the alleged abuse.
The father picked up his son and contacted police.
The child’s father, who was not named, retrieved the boy, who came out of his mother’s home with just his clothing and an Xbox. After he told his father what allegedly happened, his father contacted authorities. Police spoke with the father and son and contacted Jones and asked her to come in for questioning. The mother told police on Sunday that she was headed to the police station but never showed up, WAAY reported.
Police finally tracked down the mother and arrested her.
Per WAAY, Jones spoke to police on April 22 and denied all allegations. She was booked into Colbert County Jail but posted a $50,000 bond on Tuesday, AL.com reported.
She is due back in court on May 20, People reported. It was unclear who has custody of the boy.