Wait Until You Hear Their Mothers Punishment – The Updated Story of Scarlet Parmeley & Isaac Baum

Late May 2024 began with the quiet, predictable rhythm of daily life in the small town of Festus, Missouri. No one in the tight-knit community could have possibly imagined that an unthinkable nightmare was about to pierce the heart of a seemingly peaceful family. At approximately 10:30 AM on May 28, Ashley Parmelee casually strolled into the Festus Police Department lobby. She appeared slightly damp, disheveled, and remarkably composed as she approached the front desk clerk. With chilling nonchalance, she delivered a statement that instantly paralyzed anyone who heard it: she had just killed both of her biological children.

There were no tears, no dramatic outbursts, and no coherent explanation regarding any rational motive. Ashley simply stated that the body of her older daughter was locked inside the trunk of her Mazda SUV parked right outside in the police station lot. Officers rushed outside to inspect the vehicle and made the devastating discovery of 9-year-old Scarlett Parmelee, who had succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency life-saving measures were immediately administered at the scene, but they proved entirely unsuccessful. When officers pressed her about the whereabouts of her second child, Ashley calmly directed them to a location roughly 13 miles away. At a water fountain pool situated within the Holiday Inn Club Vacations Timber Creek Resort, authorities discovered 2-year-old Isaac Baum face down in the water. First responders pulled his lifeless body from the fountain and attempted CPR, but he had already been gone far too long.

This catastrophic event stunned the local community and immediately triggered a sprawling investigation into family dynamics, maternal mental health, and systemic safety nets that failed to protect the vulnerable. Scarlett Annalee Parmelee Doherty, born on September 2, 2014, was a vibrant, energetic, and deeply compassionate little girl. She loved the outdoors, fishing, softball, dancing, video games, deer hunting, and spending quality time with friends. Having just completed the third grade, she was eagerly looking forward to starting fourth grade. Her younger half-brother, Isaac Baum, born on September 28, 2021, to father Michael Baum, was a joyful, inquisitive toddler who loved splashing in water, playing with toy cars, picking up stray sticks, and running around in his diaper. Both children were cherished deeply by their families, especially their respective fathers.

Following a grueling six-year custody battle, Ashley had secured primary custody of Scarlett in 2021, alongside her ongoing primary custody of Isaac and her 11-year-old niece. To the outside world, family, and neighbors, Ashley presented as an exemplary mother. Friends noted that she had never even spanked her children and struggled so intensely with empathy that she could not bear to put down an aging family pet. However, beneath this polished exterior, a profound psychological storm was brewing quietly. In the years leading up to the tragedy, online posts revealed struggles with severe depression and deep isolation. On her social media profile, hours before the murders, she changed her profile picture to a solid black screen, an ominous prelude to the horror that followed.

Investigators piecing together the timeline determined that on the morning of May 28, Ashley had driven her children out toward Highway E in St. Francois County. Stopping near a body of water, she opened fire on Scarlett and attempted to end Isaac’s life as well. Security camera footage and witness accounts confirmed her vehicle parked along the shoulder, punctuated by the sound of gunfire. Rather than turning around to seek emergency medical help, the mother placed both injured children back into the vehicle and drove northward. When Isaac began crying from the backseat, alerting her that he was still alive, she chose to drive to the resort hotel in Festus and finish her horrific plan inside the decorative water fountain, an act she later admitted took four to five minutes to execute.

The fallout sent shockwaves through Festus, Crystal City, and beyond. On the night of May 29, 2024, nearly a thousand community members gathered at the Twin City Little League field in Crystal City—where Scarlett had recently played her final baseball game—to participate in a solemn candlelight vigil. Youth sports were temporarily paused, replaced by a heartbreaking balloon release honoring Scarlett and Isaac. Emotional memorial sites featuring stuffed animals, flowers, and notes materialized outside both the Festus Police Department and the Timber Creek Resort. Funeral services for Scarlett and Isaac were held consecutively in early June 2024, followed by their burials at Peaceful Ridge Cemetery in De Soto, Missouri. Their grieving fathers, Jason Doherty and Michael Baum, found themselves bound by a shared, unfathomable sorrow, leaning on each other and their faith to navigate the darkness.

As the legal system ground into motion, Ashley Parmelee faced two counts of first-degree murder across Jefferson and St. Francois counties. The judicial proceedings took a deeply contentious turn in August 2025 when two independent psychological evaluations concluded that Ashley was suffering from severe psychosis, delusions, and hallucinations at the time of the killings. Medical experts testified that she genuinely believed she was shielding and saving her children from impending harm. Consequently, a judge accepted her plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, committing her indefinitely to the custody of the Missouri Department of Health. The ruling sparked fierce public backlash, with critics questioning how someone capable of driving to a police station to surrender could evade criminal accountability. Meanwhile, civil proceedings brought forward by Scarlett’s father, Jason, resulted in a $3 million default judgment in a wrongful death lawsuit after Ashley failed to appear in court.

This tragedy stands as a haunting reminder of the fragility of human mental health and the devastating consequences when warning signs go unaddressed. While the legal battles have concluded and the physical memorials remain etched in the community’s memory, the profound absence of Scarlett and Isaac continues to resonate. Their stories serve as a solemn call to action for better mental health support systems, ensuring that families receive necessary interventions before despair transforms into irreversible catastrophe.