INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Florida Woman Stabbed Six-Year-Old Daughter After Failed Drowning Attempt

By Chelsea Hoffman
Published on: 09:03 PST, Sep 24, 2016

A Florida woman has been convicted of the attempted murder of her own daughter, and now a judge must decide on how to sentence her. NBC News 6 reports that 31-year-old Ashley Parker failed at ending her child’s life, but justice is being served.

Authorities say that the 31-year-old Florida mother attempted to murder her six-year-old daughter in June 2015. During the reported incident, Parker attempted to drown the little girl in a bathtub in her home. When the drowning attempt failed, the Florida woman assaulted the child with a knife, stabbing her at least once.

Her attempts at murdering her six-year-old daughter were foiled when her own parents showed up at the home, putting a stop to the carnage. If it hadn’t been for the intervention of the couple, the six-year-old child may not have survived. Fortunately, the girl did indeed live through the attack, but with the memories of what happened in 2015.

This isn’t the first time a mother has made headlines for murdering, or attempting to murder, her own children. Last year, an Arizona woman was arrested after she allegedly drowned both of her twin sons in a bathtub. Twenty-two-year-old Mireya Alejandra Lopez reportedly told police that she drowned the two toddlers because “they weren’t loved.” She also noted that nobody loved her, either.

A year before the Arizona incident, an Australian mom was found guilty of murder, in association with the death of her own baby. The mother — who hasn’t been named in reports — reportedly drowned the infant because she didn’t “fit into the perfect family life,” that she had envisioned. The woman feared that her six-month-old daughter suffered from dwarfism, which did not sit well with her ideal family plan.

Earlier this year, a New York woman was arrested after she allegedly murdered her own 10-month-old daughter. Police say that 25-year-old Kayla Pagan intentionally left her 10-month-old baby alone in a tub, as it slowly filled with water. The result of her actions was the death of the helpless infant. The infant’s father arrived home to find her deceased in the bathtub, but tried to administer CPR in an attempt to save her life. Reports aren’t sharing a motive behind the alleged murder of the infant, but the New York mom was arrested and held in jail on bond in the amount of $200k.

One of the most popular cases of a mother drowning her child, was the Andrea Yates case. Yates was a mother of five, until she methodically drowned each and every single one of them in a bathtub in her home. Ultimately, Yates was found mentally insane, and spends her time in a mental hospital. She remains in the care of mental health officials, where she is reportedly “thriving.”

As for this latest case, Florida woman Ashley Parker could face a number of options when it comes down to her sentencing. A judge must decide on whether to give the Florida mom prison time, or to sentence her to time in a mental hospital. Reports have confirmed that the woman has a known history of mental health issues, which may have facilitated the attempted murder of her six-year-old daughter. At the time of her trial, Parker’s defense cited insanity as a motive behind the incident, but she was still found guilty. Whether or not she is sentenced as a criminal — or mental health case — rests on the judge. Sentencing is expected to be held in early November.

[Mugshot via Sarasota Sheriff’s Office]

Share this article: Florida Woman Stabbed Six-Year-Old Daughter After Failed Drowning Attempt
Crime true crime
More from Inquisitr