In a chilling case out of San Antonio, Texas, 33-year-old Ashley Pardo faces serious charges after allegedly supporting her 13-year-old son’s plans for a violent attack at Rhodes Middle School and engaging in reckless behavior with a firearm around an infant. Pardo was arrested on May 13, 2025, on charges of aiding in the commission of terrorism and later faced an additional felony charge of abandoning or endangering a child with criminal negligence, stemming from a disturbing incident in 2023.

According to authorities, Pardo purchased ammunition, tactical gear, and loaded gun magazines for her son, who had expressed a desire to carry out “mass targeted violence” at his school. The boy’s troubling behavior was well-documented, with school officials and law enforcement noting his fascination with past mass shooters and their manifestos. In January 2025, staff at Rhodes Middle School discovered drawings by the teen, including a map of the campus labeled “suicide route” with a rifle and muzzle flashes drawn above the school’s name. In April, he was suspended for researching the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, which killed 51 people, on a school-issued computer. Despite these red flags, he was allowed to return to Rhodes Middle School on May 8 after attending an alternative school, with a safety plan in place due to ongoing concerns about potential violence.

On May 12, the boy arrived at school wearing a mask, camouflage jacket, and tactical pants but left shortly after, prompting fears among school officials that he might return to commit an act of violence. He was detained off-campus and charged with terrorism. The school increased security measures, including additional officers and campus sweeps for potential explosive devices. A letter from Principal Felismina Martinez to parents emphasized the school’s commitment to safety, stating, “We take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care.”

The investigation took a critical turn when the boy’s grandmother contacted the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) after discovering alarming items in his possession. On May 11, she found him striking a live bullet with a hammer and intervened. A search of his bedroom revealed loaded rifle and pistol magazines, a tactical vest capable of concealing ballistic plates, a tactical helmet, and various army-style clothing, all allegedly purchased by Pardo as a reward for her son babysitting his younger siblings. Most disturbingly, she found a homemade explosive device made from a mortar-style firework wrapped in duct tape, designed to increase its explosive force. The device bore the inscription “For Brenton Tarrant,” referencing the white supremacist responsible for the Christchurch massacre, along with “SS” symbols and the phrase “14 words,” both associated with white supremacist ideology. A handwritten note listing mass shooters and their victim counts was also discovered.

Authorities allege that Pardo was fully aware of her son’s violent ideations, having been contacted by law enforcement, child protective services, and school officials. Despite these warnings, she reportedly expressed support for his “violent expressions and drawings” and dismissed concerns about his behavior. SAPD Chief William McManus called her actions “abhorrent, especially as a parent,” noting that the disturbing items found in the home necessitated swift action.

Further escalating the case, a search warrant related to the terrorism investigation uncovered images on Pardo’s phone from 2023, allegedly showing her pointing a shotgun at an 11-month-old baby, with her finger near the trigger. In a message accompanying the photo, she reportedly referred to the child as a “brat.” This led to her re-arrest on August 1, 2025, on the additional charge of endangering a child with criminal negligence.

Pardo was initially released on a $75,000 bond after her May arrest, with conditions including partial house arrest, weekly drug and alcohol testing, a ban on possessing firearms or incendiary devices, and a no-contact order with her children. Following her August re-arrest, she remains in custody, with her bond for the child endangerment charge set at $45,000. She is scheduled to appear in court for a pre-indictment hearing on July 17, 2025. Her son remains detained at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Facility, deemed a significant public safety risk by a judge in June.

The case has drawn national attention, marking one of the first instances in the U.S. where a parent faces serious charges before their child commits a violent act. It underscores a growing trend of holding parents accountable for enabling or ignoring their children’s access to weapons and violent tendencies, as seen in recent cases in Michigan and Georgia. Community members, including San Antonio parents, have expressed outrage that the teen was allowed back on campus despite earlier warning signs, with one parent, Rena Chase, stating, “He doesn’t need to be anywhere near a school, period.”