Mom convicted of fatally neglecting 12-year-old daughter with diabetes

Ashley Marie Bredhold faces up to 40 years in prison for failing to treat her child's condition.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 9:40pm

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A 40-year-old Indiana woman has been convicted of neglect resulting in the death of her 12-year-old daughter, Alice Bredhold, who died from untreated diabetes. Evidence showed the parents repeatedly ignored the child's medical needs, even as her blood sugar levels reached dangerously high levels. The mother, Ashley Marie Bredhold, is now facing up to 40 years in prison for her role in the girl's death.

Why it matters

This tragic case highlights the critical importance of proper medical care for children with chronic conditions like diabetes. The failure of Alice's parents to manage her disease properly ultimately led to her preventable death, raising concerns about the need for better oversight and support for families dealing with such challenges.

The details

According to prosecutors, Alice Bredhold was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in March 2020, but her condition was poorly managed from the start. Prior to her death, the Indiana Department of Child Services had contacted the parents about Alice's frequently high blood sugar levels at school. Evidence showed her blood sugar reached over 600 mg/dL on multiple occasions, far exceeding the typical target range of less than 180 mg/dL two hours after a meal. In the days before Alice died, her parents knew her insulin pen was not working but failed to get a replacement, and the mother told the child to "drink more water" when she complained the water "felt like drinking acid."

  • Alice Bredhold was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in March 2020.
  • On July 4, 2024, police and emergency responders were called to the Bredhold home, where they found Alice unresponsive and pronounced her dead at the scene.

The players

Ashley Marie Bredhold

A 40-year-old Indiana woman who was convicted of neglect resulting in the death of her 12-year-old daughter, Alice Bredhold.

Alice Bredhold

The 12-year-old daughter of Ashley Marie Bredhold and Brent Bredhold, who died from untreated diabetes.

Brent Bredhold

The father of Alice Bredhold, who was found guilty last year on a lesser charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury.

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What they’re saying

“This is a heartbreaking case where a 12-year-old girl with Type 1 diabetes was left to fend for herself until her untimely death. Her parents should have been her strongest advocates to keep her healthy and alive, but unfortunately all they had to offer was apathy, indifference, and neglect.”

— Winston Lin, Vanderburgh County Chief Deputy Prosecutor

“Parental responsibility is not a 9-to-5 job, to clock in or clock out when convenient. That said, this was an extreme case where Alice was not properly supervised for years, and the long-term neglect placed her in a precarious situation that cut her life short. Of the hundreds of Type 1 diabetic kids under the age of 18 seen by her pediatric endocrinologist, she was the only one to have died directly due to her diabetes.”

— Winston Lin, Vanderburgh County Chief Deputy Prosecutor

What’s next

Ashley Marie Bredhold is scheduled to appear for her sentencing hearing on March 19, where she faces a possible sentence of up to 40 years in prison.

The takeaway

This tragic case underscores the critical need for proper medical care and support for children with chronic conditions like diabetes. It serves as a sobering reminder that parental responsibility extends beyond the 9-to-5, and that neglect can have devastating, life-threatening consequences.