Charges re-filed against mother whose toddler died in fire

Thurston County prosecutors have re-filed charges against Ashley A. Conroy, the 23-year-old Thurston County woman whose 18-month-old son died in a fire in 2014.

Conroy faces alternative charges of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter, meaning a jury would decide which charge, if any, best fits the alleged crime, if Conroy goes to trial. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. March 15.

Conroy was arrested in November 2014 after her son, William Bradsnyder, died in a structure fire at 7030 Steamboat Island Road. Conroy and her son had been living in a bedroom inside a converted shop.

The manslaughter charges are the same charges Conroy went to trial for in February.

However, that trial ended when Judge Gary Tabor granted defense attorney Sunni Ko’s motion for a mistrial on Feb. 25 after learning that Conroy might have given a statement to law enforcement without having been read her Miranda rights. During the four days of trial, other concerns arose about evidence in the case, including the grill that allegedly caused the fire.

Deputy Prosecutor Craig Juris said on Feb. 25 that the case could be re-tried if the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office re-filed charges. The new manslaughter charges were filed on Thursday (March 3), according to court documents.

Meanwhile, Conroy remains in custody at the Thurston County Jail. Prior to her trial, she had been ordered held without bail. But on Feb. 25, Tabor set bail at $100,000.

This story was originally published March 5, 2016 at 12:34 PM with the headline "Charges re-filed against mother whose toddler died in fire."