A Brown County mother of two spent a week in jail in Cincinnati after being mistakenly identified as a wanted fugitive.
Ashley Foster, 31, was named in a warrant issued by the Aberdeen Police Department following a raid at a mobile home in the village in January. Among the items seized were heroin, fentanyl, two loaded firearms as well as close to 100 syringes, according to APD Chief David Benjamin. Also seized was $45,000 in cash, along with two vehicles, he said.
But Foster was not the culprit and her identity had apparently been stolen by someone, police now say. The mistake was discovered when Foster was returned to Brown County Jail, after spending five days in the Hamilton County Justice Center. When she was interviewed by an Aberdeen police officer, the mistake was discovered.
Benjamin did not return phone messages left for him Friday.
The error began a week ago in the parking lot of a store on Beechmont Avenue when Foster was called out by a Hamilton County deputy who had run her vehicle tag as part of his routine and discovered she was named in a warrant.
According to news reports, the deputy asked her name and Foster told him and he then ordered her out of her car, saying he had a warrant for her arrest. When she questioned what for she was told it was for trafficking in heroin. She was also unable to get any answers on why she was arrested from officials while she was in custody, she told reporters.
Foster’s two young children, the youngest just 8 weeks were taken from her and placed with child protective services. She lost her job because she was in jail, she told news outlets.
Brown County Prosecutor Zac Corbin said as soon as his office was informed of the mistake, the charges against Foster were dropped. Officials also said the custody issues have been dropped and she was able to get her children at her convenience.
