6-year-old’s autopsy shows she was ‘tortured,’ OH officials say. Mom charged
_fitted.png "Eva Bretz was 6 years old when she died as a result of abuse in Ohio. Her mother has been charged in connection with her death.")
An Ohio woman has been charged in connection with the death of her 6-year-old daughter.
Ashley Fagan is charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter, permitting child abuse, endangering children and obstruction of justice, according to court records.
McClatchy News reached out to Fagan’s attorney for comment May 29 but did not immediately hear back.
On April 13, 6-year-old Eva Bretz was found unresponsive at a home in Columbus, the Columbus Dispatch reported. She was rushed to a hospital where she died about six hours later.
An autopsy report shows she died of “homicidal violence,” the outlet reported.
The autopsy, released by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office, said Eva had injuries from blunt force trauma, strangulation and sexual assault, according to WCMH.
“These injuries demonstrate a pattern of violence occurring for at least weeks, and probably months prior to the child’s death,” the report said, according to the outlet.
Eva had a severed liver, rib and pelvis fractures, and tests showed she had a trace of fentanyl in her system, WBNS reported.
“A proximate result of permitting the child to be abused, to be tortured, to be administered corporal punishment or other physical disciplinary measure, or to be physically restrained in a cruel manner or for a prolonged period,” an indictment said, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Fagan and her boyfriend, 24-year-old Blake Hutchinson, were both indicted in connection with Eva’s death. However, Hutchinson died by suicide after he was approached by law enforcement, WCMH reported.
Eva’s family members have spoken publicly since her death, saying the girl was happy.
“I wouldn’t even open up my gallery because she was every other picture, you know everything was Eva. Eva and me. I mean she was happy. We did everything together, and now I don’t know what to do,” her grandmother, Darcy Bretz, told WSYX.
Eva’s father, Chad Bretz is serving in the Army and is stationed in Texas, according to a GoFundMe page he set up in support of Eva.
This was not the first case of abuse connected to Eva, news outlets reported.
In 2019, Franklin County Children Services opened a case after she tested positive for drugs at birth, WCMH reported. Another report in 2020 was made with concerns about neglect. Both cases were closed, according to the outlet.
“Children’s Services did not do their job,” Darcy Bretz told WSYX. “I immediately got on the phone with an attorney and asked what could be done about them. A civil suit or something needs to be brought against this agency that fails these kids. And then I found out this week that there were other kids that they’ve failed.”
Ashley Fagan is due back in court June 16.
This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 3:51 PM with the headline "6-year-old’s autopsy shows she was ‘tortured,’ OH officials say. Mom charged."
