Parents Arrested After 12-Year-Old Daughter Dies from Diabetes Complications in Bedroom
browning funeral home/Vanderburgh County Jail
Authorities in Indiana have arrested a couple more than a month after their 12-year-old daughter, Alice Bredhold, was found dead on the floor of her bedroom, raising serious concerns about neglect. Alice was discovered deceased in her Evansville, Indiana home on Thursday, July 4, according to the Evansville Police Department, as reported by WIBC.
On Wednesday, August 7, Alice’s parents, Ashley and Brent Bredhold, were arrested on charges of neglect. Authorities accuse the parents of failing to properly manage Alice’s diabetes, leading to her tragic death. The coroner determined that Alice died from complications related to her diabetes, noting that her liver was more than twice the size of an adult woman’s and her blood sugar levels were between four to eight times higher than what is typical for a child her age, as reported by the Courier & Press.
The investigation revealed that Alice’s health had been in a state of decline for months due to alleged neglect. According to court records and police statements cited by local news outlets, Alice’s school had previously reported concerns to child services about her dangerously high blood sugar levels on multiple occasions.
A school nurse described Alice’s condition as a “chronic issue,” and at one point, her blood sugar was deemed “life-threatening,” according to complaints included in court filings. Investigators found that Alice had arrived at school with elevated blood sugar levels 34 times since January, underscoring the severity of her untreated condition.
In her interviews with police, Ashley Bredhold allegedly admitted that she sent her son to wake Alice on the afternoon of July 4, only to find her unconscious on the floor. Despite this alarming discovery, Ashley reportedly did not check on her daughter for another two hours. When she finally did, she noted Alice’s “extremely high” blood-sugar level, administered medicine, but waited another two hours before calling 911, as detailed in the police report.
When police arrived at the scene, they found the home in deplorable condition, with an infestation of bugs and trash bags scattered throughout, according to reports from 14 News, WEVV, Two other children were removed from the home by authorities.
Following a month-long investigation, Ashley and Brent Bredhold were both charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and booked into jail. According to Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office records, they are each being held on $100,000 bond. It is not clear if they have entered pleas, and no attorney information was available in the online records.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
