On a tragic day in May 2024, the life of 9-year-old Scarlet Parmeley was cut short. The young girl, a third-grader at Festus Elementary School, was found deceased from gunshot wounds in the trunk of her mother's car outside the Festus Police Department in Missouri. Her death was not an isolated incident, as her 2-year-old brother, Isaac Baum, was also found deceased on the same day, having been drowned in a fountain at a nearby resort.
The community was left reeling from the loss of the two young children. Scarlet was remembered by her teachers and friends as a bubbly, energetic, and compassionate girl with a good sense of humor who loved softball, dancing, and playing with her friends. A memorial quickly grew outside the police station as community members left tributes to the young victims.
The suspect in this case is the children's mother, Ashley Parmeley. On the morning of May 28, 2024, she walked into the Festus Police Department and confessed to killing her two children. According to police reports, Parmeley stated that she had shot her daughter and drowned her son. Authorities believe she first shot Scarlet in St. Francois County before driving to the Timber Creek Resort where she drowned Isaac.
Ashley Parmeley was arrested and has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action. She is being held without bond. In subsequent court proceedings, Parmeley has pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. Court-ordered evaluations have reportedly supported this claim, finding that she was unable to comprehend the wrongfulness of her actions. Following these evaluations, a judge ordered her commitment to the Department of Mental Health. The legal proceedings are ongoing. In a separate civil action, Scarlet's father has filed a lawsuit against Ashley Parmeley.
