District Attorney Paul Howard Announces Guilty Plea in Death of Month-Old Child

Mother Admits to Killing Baby, Agrees to Tubal Ligation

Atlanta—Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. (Atlanta Judicial Circuit) announces that, after two days of trial, defendant Carisa Ashe (34) has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter for the 16 December 1998 killing of her five-week-old daughter, Destiny Ashe. Under the terms of the non-negotiated plea, Ashe will serve five years on probation and must undergo tubal ligation (i.e. “have her tubes tied”) within 90 days. If she does not undergo the procedure in the time allowed, the State will seek to revive the murder charge the defendant had been facing.

The cause of death was shaking and blunt-force trauma to the child’s head resulting in injuries, swelling, and hemorrhage of the brain.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Ash Joshi prosecuted the case. Atlanta Police Detective R. Walden and Pat Ponder of the District Attorney’s Office investigated, and Judge Rowland Barnes presided.

CONTACT: Erik Friedly, 404.224.0560 (office); 770.583.6069 (pager); erik.friedly@co.fulton.ga.us