Tennessee mom of four has been sentenced to 40 years behind bars

 August 12, 2020

Tennessee mom of four gets 40 years for ‘allowing and participating in’ the rape of her nine-year-old daughter

Ashley Thomas sentenced to 40 years for allowing, participating in rape of daughter

A Munford, Tennessee mom of four has been sentenced to 40 years behind bars for both failing to protect her daughter from a brutal, years-long campaign of rape by the mother’s boyfriend and even participating in the sexual abuse, WMC 5 reports.

At sentencing on August 12, the victim, Thomas’ now 12 year old daughter who was nine at the time of the abuse, addressed her mother in court. 

“My mom said not to hate you, but I can’t forgive you right now,” the 12-year-old said, referring to her adoptive mother as her mom. “I hope you get better on the inside.”

She said to Thomas that instead of watching her children grow up, she’ll be trapped behind bars thinking about what she’d done.

“Because of what you let happen to me, I am the strong, brave, proud, confident young woman I am today,” she said. “Maybe you deserve a second chance, maybe you don’t, that’s up to God and Jesus.”

Another of Thomas’ daughters, 10, also addressed her mother in court, reading a statement defining a mother and then saying, “But you’re none of those things. I hope you learn your lesson while you’re in jail.”

A Tipton County Grand Jury handed down a 13-count indictment against Ashley Thomas, who investigators say is several months pregnant, for child neglect, sexual exploitation, sexual battery and responsibility for the rape of a child.

She is in jail with bond set at $75,000.

Thomas’ indictment comes after her boyfriend David Henson pleaded no contest earlier this year for rape of a child and sexual exploitation of a minor.

“Of course a no-contest plea is an admission that the state has enough evidence to convict and effectively it results in a guilty plea,” said Mark Davidson, Tipton County District Attorney General.

Source  covingtonleader  knewz wreg