Ashley's Closet

06/27/2023

Trigger Warning!
I’ve avoided making this post longer than I should have. I have a Zoom meeting with a parole board on July 5th to discuss the release of inmate number A181693, David A Marsh.
On May 23, 1984, my daughter was murdered by her father. Her name was Ashley. He was charged with Murder in the First Degree and was sentenced to 15 years to life. She was only three months old.
He appears before a parole board every two years, hoping to be released. In August, he will once again appear before a parole board. Please take a few moments to complete or sign a form opposing his release. I am certain should he ever be released, my family and I will never be safe. Here is the link for the input form,
https://drc.ohio.gov/.../parol.../parole-board-hearing-input
You can also email Victim Services at [email protected].
It’s been 39 years since Ashely died, and I’ve learned that time doesn’t heal all wounds; you learn to live with the scars. I still struggle to talk about her without breaking down. During the last parole hearing, I had the list I made of all the reasons this monster should die behind bars. As soon as the Parole officer said her name, I immediately returned to the day she died, and I crumbled.
You know the saying, "Hindsight is 20/20?" If I had known then what I know now, maybe she would still be alive, or maybe he would have slaughtered me, my family, and her. I will never know. All I can do now is educate others and pray my story helps someone else.
Several years ago, I founded a non-profit in Ashley's honor to educate and assist families experiencing domestic violence. Due to a lack of funding, property theft, and my own health issues, The Board of Directors and I made the difficult decision to close the non-profit Rise From the Ashes and Ashley’s Closet. Even though the non-profit is closed, I am still dedicated to educating families impacted by domestic violence, especially when children are involved.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know your children are not safe. Thinking otherwise will endanger the lives of your children, your friends, your family, and everyone else around you. If he/she is physically violent with you, chances are, they are also hurting your children. Even if you are not being physically abused, non-physical abuse often escalates into violence and will have a lasting impact on the lives of your children. What they see and hear will affect their lives forever.
Please seek help by calling your local shelter. Many other organizations are willing to help. You also need to know that before, during, and after escaping are the most dangerous times for you, your family, or anyone else around you. Please make sure to carefully create a safety plan of escape. Make sure your children know what to do. This information could save their lives.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this, and for those of you who take the time to complete the form in opposition to his release or send an email to Victim Services, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

05/24/2023

Greyson’s Law in Florida was signed today by Governor DeSantis 💜

05/17/2023

Please be advised ReRe Wilson is an alias for Jennifer Nicole Manlove who was terminated by the Board of Directors in 2021. MS. Manlove is no longer associated with Rise From the Ashes or Ashley’s Closet.

01/07/2023

12/28/2022

For many, December is a time to reflect on the past year. We reflect on our personal lives, our successes at work, and the changes that happened in our communities. Now, even the dictionary is reflecting! For 2022, Merriam-Webster named “gaslighting” the Word of the Year. And gaslighting is something we at The Hotline know a lot about.

Gaslighting has been used since 1938, and even after all that time, people still get confused by what it means. In a relationship, gaslighting is when your emotions, words, and experiences are twisted and used against you, causing you to question your reality. This gives the partner who is abusive more power and control in their relationship, which is what relationship abuse is based on.

Gaslighting causes someone to question their own feelings and sanity. One example of this is trivializing the abuse and making the partner feel that their feelings are insignificant. “You're mad over a little thing like that? "You're too sensitive,” is an example of trivializing.

It's important to find ways to protect yourself from the mental and emotional abuse that is gaslighting. It can help if you have proof of what’s really going on, so write down abusive moments, tell a friend or family member what happened, or take photos. This can help you know the truth of situations and help you trust yourself again.

12/28/2022

this is what family courts teach our children by forcing them to live with abusive fathers. instead of learning to trust their instincts, children learn to second guess themselves and that abuse = love. the cycle of violence is promoted onto our next generation.