Season 17, Episode 9
Ashley
Age: 21
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Addiction: Crack, opioids
Update: Ashley Dorothy Ellen King passed away after a car accident on July 2, 2021. Here is her obituary.
Official Synopsis: Ashley was a child prodigy on the TaeKwonDo octagon, headed for international competition had she stayed the course. But when the haunting memory of childhood molestation caused her to turn to the numbing effects of drugs at the age of 15, her athletic career was pinned to the mat. Now 21, Ashley is deeply addicted to crack cocaine and IV opioids. As she and her girlfriend are evicted from their apartment for their disruptive fights, excessive drug use and partying, her family fears that, without an intervention, Ashley will disappear into the streets forever.
Date Aired: September 2017
Interventionist: Jesse
Where is Ashley now? Very big Intervention follower and this is one young lady I know can make it
She went to rehab for 7 days and then quit. That’s all I know at the moment.
Ashley passed away due to a car accident, not long after she left rehab.
I agree with both of the comments stating ‘there’s an innocence ‘and also ‘immaturity/zero responsibility ‘attitude with Ashley. Gosh I’m very grateful i watched this particular episode—learned about Ashley, about myself as well! A lot of my immature behavior from past and present revealed themselves to me by watching Ashley —truly! I hope Ashley can get motivation to stay clean/have better life from some sort of goals she can figure out that she wants (I’m seeing maybe that she has conflicting desires of autonomy and being somewhat childlike b/c she grew up too fast from the abuse. Perhaps also she does not know how to be a woman and still get that nurturing (from her mom and then herself (?)).
Ashley has passed away
Stephanie, thanks for updating us. Could you send me an email with more information so that I can confirm before posting anything on this site? [email protected] Thank you so much.
Does anyone have any updates on Ashley my heart broke for her …i just seen such a innocence in her from deep .Just want to know if she’s ok after she left therapy ?
She just recently passed away but not from drug abuse.
Oh no! Do you have any more information about this so I can confirm and update her page? Last name, FB page, obit, anything like that? You can send to [email protected] if you don’t want it public. Thank you.
Ashley’s rebellious nature will make it difficult for her to stay sober. She’s been running with a bad crowd of street kids for years and she seems to have learned more about how to survive from them than from her family. She’s developed that “F*** the world” attitude that kids who run in that circle seem to have, and she’ll need intensive behaviour modification therapy and a rigid, structured environment 24/7 in order to reintegrate her back into society. She’ll have a better shot if she gets back into taekwondo – any martial art will provide the discipline and structure she needs in her life in order for her to resist going back to her old habits.
She seemed like she has a mental illness, like bipolar or a personality disorder, like borderline personality disorder and was in a part self medicating
I see severe PTSD in this young woman. I was wondering why her biological parents were not present at her intervention?
Ashley’s biological parents? The mother is the biological mother who had Ashley at age 16. The father has been in and out of jail her whole life.
“Good girl! Good girl!”
The enabling mother treats Ashley and her girlfriend like their both 7 year olds and cleans up all of their messes (both literally and metaphorically). Ashley has had zero responsibilities or repercussions for her actions. Unless the mother makes some drastic changes, there’s no way Ashley is quitting until she OD’s and dies.
The enabling mother ? You seem to make judgement on a show that was half ass aired to be honest. I did what I had to do to get on intervention and they also ask me to Enable her for the purpose of this show. I spent years in therapy and put her in as many tehBs as possible. You have no idea the struggles of trying to get someone help and until to actually live with someone who is a addict and mentally ill, I would suggest you keep your comments to yourself. Your opinion has no bearing on my life or hers. But in case there is another mother out there in the same situation reading this . I want to ensure the opinions like this does affect her judgement on getting the you g adult help. There is no help for Ashley due to her mental state and i from far do not enable her.
Hi,Tonia —
I thought your commitment to your child was admirable. You never wavered, even in the face of being a young mom with a very ill daughter, I could feel your love for her shining through. I am sure your pain is immeasurable, and I hope you have some comfort in your life as well.
Tonia you are a wonderful supportive mother. Pay no attention to negative comments. You know the truth and who you are and what you have done and been through to support your daughter as you likely had zero idea what to do and how to react to such an awful situation such as yours and Ashley’s. You don’t realize that you’re enable until it’s too late and you’re deep into helping and handing out and, well, enabling. But without knowledge,, how do you learn that you are enabling and not just caring for your sick child. It’s hard for one to tell the difference when they have no experience on the subject. I hope and pray that Ashley has by now found recovery and my heart and prayers for recovery go out to Kaitlyn and her family as well 💜
So my names Ashley (not the same one), but this story is IDENTICAL to mine only my addiction isn’t as bad anymore.
I’m watching this remembering me being 21, ME.
I really wish I could reach out to her because we are identical. Except she’s white.
If anyone can contact her, or knows anything I really think I could help her by talking to her.
i think by misconduct – they mean, either physical fighting, fraternizing with another patient, or doing drug on site.
i’m familiar with someone from rice lake – she was hostile throughout her stay. and would have done one of the above to have been discharged.
very sad.
Dizzy you should add homosexuality to her category.
I didn’t get the sense that her being a lesbian, or being stigmatized/treated badly because of it, was necessarily a trigger for her addiction though.
Just seen her on the bus the other day she’s doing worse than what she was in the show
Are there any updates on Ashley? I’m not sure why but my heart just went out to her.
She’s been sober for six months, and is doing very well for herself 🙂
Omg that is awesome. Not sure why but my heart just broke for her. Thank you for the update
Did they move to Omaha, NE? I swear I had them in my Uber on St. Patrick’s Day. Looked like they were doing well.
sorry to hear that…
I just watched a rerun of Intervention Canada and it was Ashley’s episode. I can’t stop thinking about her and pray is doing okay.
It’s hard for a mother, my mum went through the same and both of us cleared out my brothers house, it was littered with needles and my mum got pricked by one. We did it because he was not capable, he was ill, the same as Ashley was. Her mum was helping her move out, not giving her money to shoot up!! There’s a difference. If I was moving my mum would help too!! We did have to walk away eventually and he died, so I understand why her mum was reluctant to leave her and not help. You’re only enabling, if you’re helping her with that lifestyle, I don’t think moving out of somewhere is enabling, plus, she said she couldn’t come home.
Anyone know how ashley is doing?
My question is why wasn’t the pedophile charged with abuse? Don’t you think that would give her a little closure that sicko being in jail?
He was charged and given house arrest. I went to police as soon as I found out. I should have dealt with it my own way.
This girl actually lives in a building right next to me and I can see that things are not going well
She comes into my work often and she is no better today then she was back when this aired. 🙁
Hello all! Does anyone know why her face was bloodied in the beginning of the show? I may have missed something because I did not think she was fighting anymore. I hope she is doing well. This episode really stuck with me.
My guess is she was trying to shoot up and possibly wiping the blood on her face? Either that or there was a fight that they just didn’t show us.
She was dressed up for Halloween. Perhaps people should really pay attention before Negative comments. Again most attics are suffering from some thing they are unable to control.
Thank you for clarifying. I was coming from a place of concern and I apologize if my comment came off as negative.
This episode was heartbreaking. And I felt so angry about cats living in this mess. If she wants to live like this, fine, but don’t force an animal to live in this mess.
The cats were giving at home with family members and they were all up-to-date on shots.
Anyone have an update on Ashley? It’s been 4 years since her episode aired. I hope shes doing well, she seemed like she could really do something with her life if she got healthy. I’m honestly kinda shocked at peoples negative comments about her mom. I thought her mom and uncle were really good, supportive family members. They just didnt have the tools to handle an active drug user. They really did the best they could.
No one understands having an addict as a child until you actually do. Dont judge.
Here is Ashley’s obituary: https://tjtracey.com/tribute/details/1540/Ashley-King/obituary.html?fbclid=IwAR1yLWZxe4udwV8VAU4aaOBIdrmfwHnMf3W67lnrS0ZTy0n4IEJep9EHTxY
May she Rest In Peace.
OMG! This was so hard to watch. From what was said over the years, I don’t think she ever managed to get clean and stay clean. It’s so sad to hear this but at the same time it’s really not shocking which I think is sad to begin with. We’ve come to realize that most don’t make it and have come to understand that. I don’t know why but we just do. My heart breaks for her family and especially her sweet and loving uncle who tried everything he could in saving this poor child. RIP Ashley
I think it’s important to note that Ashley passed as a result of a car accident, not because of her addiction.
It’s so sad that Ashley continued to suffer and has now passed away. I found her mother’s FB page and I didn’t even recognize Tonia. She looks completely different to me.
My sympathy goes out to her and her family who are sadly suffering the loss of Ashley.
https://www.facebook.com/tonia.dawson.31
Ashley was diagnosed schizophrenic psychosis. Her battle of addiction was trying to escape this. Unfortunately the whole system has failed her up until the day that she died, When I decided to go on the show I had mentioned that her mental state Was not good I ensured that she would be into it facility they could help her with her addiction and mental health. As a mother when she was sent home when they beat me to pick her up at the airport, As they cannot deal with her behavioural issues. I continue to try to help my daughter to the best of my ability. After many incidents and her off of all opiates She was not Control her psychosis and finally she was properly diagnosed. Reach rehab she was giving anti-psychotic medication along with other behavioural medication and Suboxone. My advice for any mother who is struggling with a young child with addiction is to know your child know your child behaviour. I knew in my heart Ashley was struggling with something she could not control and that’s when the drug use came in. I can clearly tell you now my daughter passed away in a car accident and her tox screen was negative for drugs.
Tonia I am so very sorry to hear about Ashley’s accident. You’ve been through so much, what a terrible loss this is. Thank you for coming here and leaving this comment. All of us here appreciate knowing the truth.
Hi Tonia – I just watched your daughter’s episode. I was curious as I knew what had happened to her. First thing I like to say is to you – I am very sorry for your loss. The next thing is while I was watching the episode, the thoughts that were popping into my head were “What a great Mother”. “Her Mom is really trying her best”. “She was lucky she had a Mom that didn’t wash her hands clean of her”. I thought you did a fantastic job and the best you could. Not much more a son or daughter can ask for. A lot of parents would have walked away. You can be proud and hold your head high because you stuck with her. I’m sorry again for your loss. My best wishes to you.
Hello! So saddened to hear about Ashley’s passing. Does anyone happen know what happened with Kaitlyn?
I am from that area and had mutual friends with both of them. Kaitlin has a baby boy and seems to be doing great. Not sure when she got clean, but she definitely appears to be now.
Thanks for the update, I was wondering about Kaitlin
Gutted. RIP Ashley. How awful that you worked so hard to get clean only to die so young because of someone else’s mistake. This episode really killed me – she seemed like a really good soul.
As a cousin who looked up to her, she was one of the bravest, strongest, fearless, joyful people in my life. She would shed light everywheres and always make someone smile her joyful personality made people feel warm and included, she made a huge impact on many people’s lives. I hardly knew what was going on with her in her life and I’m just finding out about this episode I didn’t know how to feel at first but it is great for many people to recognize her story and see that she tried to make a difference and always put in the work to end the addiction. She was a hero of mine and no matter what, I always look up to her. I am proud to be a cousin of Ashley, there’s never a better feeling than seeing her and her smile and laugh and her coming for a hug. I wish I could have those memories again. And for many of you out there who may be going through the same. Keep close to your loved ones and do not make them worry for you.
This was a lovely comment, thank you for sharing it with us Christina.
So sad Ashley died in a car accident on July 2nd 2021 rest peacefully Ashley
Notice how they never mentioned the girlfriend’s age, just Ashley saying she was “younger than me”? That had me curious because she looked like such a baby, and they mentioned having been together since the year before.. I found her on Facebook and she posted prom pictures in 2019, two years after the episode was aired. Are they allowed to show minors like that? Especially minors using drugs? Either way, she looks to be doing great now!!