A Tragic Incident Unfolds: Mother and Two Children Found Deceased at Sheriff’s Office After Their Arrival

In a heart-wrenching and tragic turn of events, a family’s visit to a sheriff’s office in North Carolina ended in a horrifying murder-suicide that has left a community in shock and mourning. Ashton Brown, a 26-year-old mother of two, found herself in a situation of fear and desperation, prompting her to seek help from law enforcement. Her partner, Aschod Ewing-Meeks, also 26, had caused Brown to fear for her safety and the lives of her two young children, Brixtyn, just 8 months old, and Bella, 4 years old.

The events that transpired thereafter have shaken not only the family involved but also the local authorities and community. Despite Brown’s attempts to seek assistance and protection for herself and her children, the sheriff’s office failed to provide the intervention needed to prevent the devastating outcome that followed.

Two hours before to the murder-suicide, Brown and her lover were seen on security footage entering their neighborhood sheriff’s office and asking for assistance from the police. Even though the family didn’t fully explain their purpose for visiting the sheriff’s office, they did ask to talk with a deputy in order to get some assistance from the police. The family, who consisted entirely of Black people, made many attempts to contact the sheriff’s office but were unable to get the assistance they required. Ewing-Meeks killed his fiancée, their two kids, and himself less than two hours after they departed, then set fire to their house.

Around 12:10 pm on April 18, 2022, the helpless family arrived for their sheriff’s office, but they were turned away. The family was given a phone number by the receptionist, and they departed the office after about five minutes.

Nothing out of the usual occurred. At a press conference on Wednesday, Davie County Sheriff JD Hartman said, “They basically wouldn’t connect with the receptionist or tell her what they wanted. During his tenure in law enforcement, he referred to the murder-suicide that occurred in his neighborhood as “one of the worst, if not the worst” case he had ever seen.

Brown dialed 911 at 12:35 p.m. pleading with officials to allow her speak to a sheriff’s deputy. She informed the authorities that she was concerned for the safety of her family, but she did not elaborate. When a deputy contacted Brown again eleven minutes later, Brown gave the phone to Ewing-Meeks. The call stopped thirty seconds later; it’s unclear whether someone hung up or the connection failed.

Over the course of the following thirty minutes, authorities called back and briefly spoke with the family multiple times.

“(Ewing-Meeks) told the officer that he believed he was being followed, but that he wasn’t in danger. They weren’t endangering him, according to Hartman. The officer made an effort to persuade them to return to the sheriff’s office. They refused to provide the officer their location as they were driving about.

When authorities arrived at the family’s burning home later that day, they discovered all four members of the family had been shot to death.

According to Hartman, all four victims died from gunshot wounds. “The fire was started on purpose. We discovered the gun that fits all of this still in Mr. Meeks’ hand even though he was dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

This devastating incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of timely and effective intervention in cases of domestic distress and the critical role that law enforcement plays in ensuring the safety and well-being of individuals and families in crisis.

The heartbreaking story of Ashton Brown, Aschod Ewing-Meeks, and their two beloved children serves as a poignant reminder of the need for improved resources and support systems for those facing domestic violence and mental health challenges. The community mourns the loss of these precious lives and grapples with the profound impact of a tragedy that will forever haunt their hearts and minds.