An Ohio mother, aged 33, has been sentenced to prison for her role in the tragic death of her six-year-old daughter, who suffered prolonged abuse at the hands of the woman’s boyfriend. Despite being aware of the violence, she failed to intervene, ultimately leading to the child’s demise.

Ashley Fagan entered a guilty plea on Friday to charges including two counts each of permitting child abuse and child endangerment, alongside one count of involuntary manslaughter and obstructing justice in relation to the death of young Eva Bretz. She received a sentence ranging from 18 to 23 and a half years in prison. As part of her plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop a murder charge.

According to CBS affiliate WBNS, police officers from the Columbus Division responded to a distress call on April 13, 2025, at a residence on the 4000 block of Migration Lane in Columbus, Ohio. Upon their arrival, emergency personnel found Eva and immediately initiated lifesaving efforts.

The child was swiftly transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition. Medical staff discovered she had sustained severe internal injuries, including a torn liver, and external injuries, such as ligature marks on her neck, which were deemed life-threatening.

Tragically, Eva passed away roughly six hours after her hospital admission. An autopsy conducted by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office later confirmed that Eva’s death was a homicide.

Fagan claimed her daughter was playing with a friend the night before and got a tree branch caught in her hoodie which restricted her breathing but seemed fine otherwise, according to a courtroom report from the Columbus Dispatch.

But a police investigation revealed her story was hogwash. Surveillance video from the apartment complex showed Eva was never outside playing the night before. Per the Dispatch, detectives recovered text messages between her and her boyfriend Blake Hutchinson from as early as October 2024 that showed they were trying to get their stories straight about Eva suffered her horrific injuries.

Eva’s grandfather spoke before the court during Fagan’s plea hearing.

“The one person on this planet that should have had her best interest at heart did not take any steps to protect her, and it could have been done so easily,” Kevin Coles reportedly said.

While reiterating Fagan did not physically hurt her child, her attorney said she still bears great responsibility.

“She’s a human being who has made unforgivable choices,” attorney Terry Sherman said.

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Brown, a father and grandfather himself, became emotional when imposing his sentence, according to the Dispatch.

“I cannot imagine taking a life or watching while someone else takes the life of a child, particularly your own child,” the judge said.

As Law&Crime previously reported, a copy of the coroner’s report obtained by the Dispatch provided additional details about Eva’s death, reportedly concluding that the 6-year-old was likely subjected to severe physical abuse for several weeks or even months before she ultimately died. Tests showed that the child also had fentanyl in her system and was the victim of sexual assault prior to her death.

In addition to the severed liver, Eva also sustained blunt force trauma to her abdomen. She had multiple fractures to her ribs and pelvis that were in different stages of healing, a telltale sign of ongoing abuse, police said.

According to the Dispatch, Fagan was arrested after she and Hutchinson provided conflicting stories about how Eva sustained her fatal injuries. Hutchinson was also indicted in connection with Eva’s death, but killed himself just prior to authorities placing him under arrest,  McClatchy News reported.

The indictment, a copy of which was obtained by the Dispatch, alleges that Eva’s injuries were the “proximate result of permitting the child to be abused, to be tortured, to be administered corporal punishment or other physical disciplinary measure, or to be physically restrained in a cruel manner or for a prolonged period.”

Fagan also faced charges in connection with a 1-year-old child who was the victim of “serious physical harm” between November and December 2023.