Randolph County mother accused of using kids to break into buildings, posting videos on YouTube
RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. – A Randolph County mother was arrested and charged Friday after the sheriff said she broke into buildings with kids and posted videos of the incidents on YouTube.
Ashley Ball, 22, is charged with one count of misdemeanor breaking and entering and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
The sheriff’s office received an anonymous tip that Ball was recording videos of herself breaking into homes and posting them online, oftentimes with a 13-year-old and a toddler in tow.
Sheriff Robert Graves said the 2-year-old girl is her biological daughter and his office believes the 13-year-old is Ball’s sister, or someone she calls “sister.”
“My first reaction was how brazen could this be? You’re televising yourself on YouTube video committing a criminal act,” Graves said. “The second thing that was disturbing to us was that she had children there with her while she was doing this. One was a toddler and didn’t have anything on but a diaper outside.”
Graves said other agencies are looking into the case, too–they believe break-ins also happened in Siler City, Liberty and Chatham County.
“I wish there weren’t neighbors right here, the window is open,” Ball can be heard saying in one of the videos. “We’re gonna go in, I’m just watching for cars—watching for neighbors.”
The sheriff said it’s Ball that directs the 13-year-old to climb through the window and then pulls the toddler through. Ball follows, then she, the two children and another woman proceed to walk throughout the home.
Before they entered, Ball remarked that she believed the home is abandoned. Later, she realized the power was on.
“Maybe they’re fixing it up,” Ball said. “I’ll just be like, I’m sorry, I thought it was abandoned!”
Graves said his office still isn’t sure if anything was stolen, but if there was, more charges will be coming soon.
The 2-year-old is now in the care of the Randolph County Department of Social Services.