Ashley Zhao was a five-year-old girl whose body was found in her family’s restaurant located in Jackson Township, Stark County, Ohio, USA on January 10, 2017. The discovery of her body prompted an extensive investigation by the local police department, in collaboration with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
WHO WAS ASHLEY ZHAO
Ashley Zhao was a beautiful girl born to her Chinese parents but was raised by her paternal grandmother until she was four so that her parents can focus on the family business. After she turned four she went to stay with her parents full time in Ohio, USA. Not long after that the abuse started, her mother would hit her at every slight provocation and her father did nothing to help this helpless girl.
Investigation
According to investigations and interrogation following the couple’s arrest by the Stark County Sheriff’s Office it was revealed by Ashely’s father Liang Zhao stated that his wife Ming ming chen became angry with Ashley because she had not yet been potty-trained. When Ashley had an accident, Chen allegedly hit her head on the ground and repeatedly punched her on the face. Ashley then began gasping for air and vomited greenish fluid, prompting Liang Zhao to try and clean her up but soon realized she wasn’t breathing and he attempted CPR but she was already dead . The couple panicked and picked up their other six-year-old daughter from school.
The couple then drove Ashley’s body to their restaurant, Ang’s Asian Cuisine located on Portage Street in Jackson Township. Ashley Zhao was reported missing on January 9, 2017, from Ang’s Asian Cuisine, the restaurant owned by her parents. Her parents initially reported that she may have wandered out a back door. The following morning, on January 10, a Statewide Endangered Child Alert was issued by the authorities.
During a search of the restaurant, Ashley’s body was discovered “concealed” in a salt container in the freezer to reduce the stench from the body. During Ming Ming Chen’s interview, investigators asked her why she wasn’t showing any emotion.
On the recorded audio, the detective can be heard questioning Chen about what took place and how her daughter passed away, despite her repeated claims of innocence. Chen’s response was delivered in a cold and detached manner as she admitted to killing her daughter.
When questioned about whether she had physically assaulted her, Chen confirmed that she had. Additionally, Chen disclosed that she had requested her husband to dispose of the body, which he concealed inside their restaurant.
“You’re not even crying,” said one detective.
“I can’t,” Ming Ming replied.
“Why?” the detective pressed.
“Because I can’t. I don’t have any waters anymore,” said Ming Ming.
She also said “I need to take care of everything in the restaurant. I only have two hands, I don’t want to do that to Ashley, but you can’t control yourself sometimes.”
Legal Proceeding
During a hearing on October 12, 2017, Ming ming Chen entered a plea of not guilty to the murder charge on the grounds of insanity. However, on December 29, 2017, Chen pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was subsequently sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Due to the fact that Chen had immigrated to the United States illegally as a teenager, she will be deported back to China once she is released from prison.
In exchange for his testimony against Ming Ming Chen, Liang Zhao, a U.S. citizen, accepted a plea deal that resulted in a reduced prison sentence of 12 years. On September 11, 2017, he pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including child endangerment, corpse abuse, obstruction of justice, and evidence tampering.