Alabama mom charged with burning her children with a blowtorch heads to jail after admitting to abuse charges

An Alabama mother who was charged with severely abusing three of her children, including burning them with a blowtorch, has been sentenced to five years in prison for her crimes.

Ashleigh Ableman, of Ariton, Alabama, pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated child abuse and chemical endangerment of a child after prosecutors said she struck her children in the face with a leather belt, exposed one of them to methamphetamine and marijuana and burned three of her children with a blowtorch.

She was arrested in October 2023 and court documents alleged the abuse had occurred for approximately four years.

Also arrested with Ableman was her boyfriend Howard Anderson, 53. He is charged with abusing the children, too, and is scheduled to go to trial in September.