Storm destroys woman’s home and kills dog after death of her 6-year-old son

WISH, BRITTANY DETZEL, CHARLENE KEHOE, ASHLEY RICHARDSON, CNN

By Danielle Zulkosky

Click here for updates on this story

    PARKER CITY, Indiana (WISH) — A Randolph County woman is fighting through three back-to-back tragedies.

First, Ashley Richardson’s 6-year-old son, Jase Allen Michael Bird, died in his sleep on Feb. 25. She is still searching for answers with medical professionals on how that happened.

Then on Wednesday, severe weather rolled in and destroyed her mobile home near Parker City in Randolph County. That’s about a 90-minute drive northeast of Indianapolis.

Her son’s ashes were thought to be lost in the wreckage of the home.

“His ashes were in the living room and when the trailer got ripped out his ashes were (found) on top of my car.”

It took family and friends over 13 hours to find his ashes. They remained fully intact in two bags despite being ripped from the home in the storm.

Richardson was trapped in her car during the storm and unable to get back in her home.

“My windows busted out” in the car, Richardson said. “The debris were coming everywhere and hitting me, and I ducked my head and he got me out of my vehicle because I couldn’t open my door.”

A neighbor and friend rescued Richardson from her car where she was trapped under debris.

She said Jase was with her during the storm, and the ashes sitting on top of the car she was trapped in showed that.

“I believe I was saved from my son and God,” Richardson said.

Unfortunately her dog Ottis did not make it.

“I couldn’t get to him. I couldn’t go back in and get him and he was trapped underneath and I think it crushed him,” Richardson said. “But he was alive when they found him and my sister-in-law and brother took him to the vet and there was nothing they really could do.”

Ottis had to be euthanized. An anonymous good Samaritan paid that bill. Family said the VCA Advanced Veterinary Care Center in Fishers covered other costs.

Richardson’s other dog, Mario, escaped. This is the heartwarming moment they were reunited.

Richardson and her two sisters-in-law, Brittany Detzel and Chasity Richardson, spoke highly of Jase. He was a kindergartener at Monroe Central Elementary and a member of the Monroe Central Bear Wrestling Club when he died.

“He was great. The love of my life,” Richardson said. “Just a happy 6-year-old.”

“He never knew a stranger. He never knew any pain of sadness,” Detzel said. “He was just a really happy kid.”

Now, Richardson’s picking up the pieces of her destroyed home but she’s not alone.

“Our couple of people turned into more people which turned into more people,” Chasity Richardson said. “And literally in 7 hours they pretty much have everything cleared out, and it’s crazy to me how everyone just shows up.”

Richardson is hoping to build her permanent and forever home on the land where her home once stood.

She knows it is going to be a long and tough road but her community will be there to support her.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.