Mom sentenced to 40 years after watching boyfriend drown 5-year-old son in toilet and bury him under floorboards

Ashley Rolland, a 30-year-old mother from Arkansas, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to her involvement in the 2022 death of her 5-year-old son, Blu Rolland.

The tragic incident unfolded after Rolland’s boyfriend, Nathan Bridges, 34, drowned Blu in a toilet as punishment for biting his finger.

Following the drowning, Bridges buried the boy’s body under the floorboards of their home, and Rolland, who did not intervene, watched as it happened.

Initially charged with capital murder, Rolland ultimately pleaded guilty on August 8 to two counts of permitting abuse of a minor in Lee County Circuit Court.

The Arkansas State Police reported her sentencing.

Bridges, who previously pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and battery in July, received a 60-year prison sentence.

Rolland’s defense argued that she was merely present during the murder, claiming that she had screamed “Stop it!” while Bridges drowned her son. However, this did not absolve her of responsibility in the eyes of the court.

The case came to light on December 16, 2022, when Rolland’s parents contacted the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in picking up their two grandchildren from Rolland’s home in Moro, Arkansas. It was supposed to be Blu’s 6th birthday.

Rolland brought out her daughter but claimed Blu was not at the residence. Her daughter was found with severe scabbing on her head, which Rolland attributed to an “allergic reaction.”

Rolland’s father later informed deputies that his daughter had confessed Blu was dead and described where his body was hidden.

Upon investigation, deputies discovered newly nailed-down floorboards and, beneath them, a pungent odor and signs of disturbed earth. Further digging revealed Blu’s body, wrapped in plastic bags and a blanket.

In her interview with investigators, Rolland admitted that Blu had died on September 9, 2022, after Bridges became enraged when Blu bit his finger. Bridges had taken the boy to the bathroom and repeatedly dunked his head in a water-filled toilet until he drowned.

Afterward, Bridges cut a hole in the wooden floor, dug a grave, and buried Blu under the house. Rolland, who was in the living room during the drowning, found Blu struggling to breathe and limp when she entered the bathroom after the incident.

Rolland also revealed that Bridges was responsible for her daughter’s injuries, stating that he had held her daughter’s head and torso under hot water as punishment for behavioral issues.

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This case has left a community grieving and a mother and her boyfriend facing the consequences of their horrific actions.