Inset: Ashley Fagan (Columbus Division of Police). Background: The area in Columbus, Ohio where Fagan lived with and allegedly killed her daughter (Google Maps).
In a deeply troubling case that has captured the attention of many, an Ohio mother has been sentenced to prison after remaining passive as her boyfriend subjected her young daughter to brutal abuse. The relentless violence endured by the 6-year-old eventually resulted in her tragic death.
Ashley Fagan, aged 33, entered a guilty plea to multiple charges: two counts each of permitting child abuse and endangering children, along with one count of involuntary manslaughter and obstructing justice related to the death of her daughter, Eva Bretz. This plea agreement led to her receiving a prison sentence ranging from 18 to 23 and a half years. As part of the deal, prosecutors decided to drop the murder charge.
The harrowing case unfolded when police officers from the Columbus Division of Police responded to a 911 call on April 13, 2025. The call led them to a home on Migration Lane in Columbus, Ohio. According to CBS affiliate WBNS, upon arriving, officers found young Eva and quickly initiated emergency medical procedures in a bid to save her life.
Eva was rushed to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where doctors worked tirelessly as she battled critical injuries. The list of her injuries was extensive and severe, including internal damage like a severed liver and external marks such as ligature marks around her neck, all deemed life-threatening by medical professionals.
Despite their efforts, Eva could not recover and succumbed to her injuries six hours after her arrival at the hospital. The Franklin County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy and concluded that Eva’s death was a homicide, shedding light on the brutal circumstances that led to her passing.
In court, Fagan offered a feeble explanation, claiming that her daughter had been playing with a friend the evening before her death when a tree branch allegedly got caught in her hoodie, restricting her breathing. However, she insisted that Eva seemed otherwise fine. This assertion was documented in a report by the Columbus Dispatch, though it starkly contrasts with the medical examiners’ findings.
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.
