Ashley Pardo, 33, Texas, mother of two Authorities have charged her with providing material support to her son’s alleged plot for a school shooting, a charge that could carry 20 years in prison. Further, even though Pardo knew of her son’s disturbing obsession with violence, she supposedly still bought ammunition and tactical gear for him. Her actions raised significant questions regarding establishing parental accountability in youth violence incidents. This trend has been surging in popularity over the past several years.
Pardo’s motives were not mysterious to police and prosecutors. They arrested her when they discovered she had actively and knowingly fostered her son’s violent aspirations. In exchange, he promised to babysit his younger brothers. According to accounts, it was she who first brought her son to a military surplus store. There, they bought equipment including a tactical vest and helmet as well as ammo. Custodian’s Grandmother told us she purchased a gun for her son. This new information is only now coming to light.
In early April, Pardo’s son was threatened with suspension from Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School. He had been studying mass shooting attacks on a school district computer. When he made his highly publicized return to school on May 8 – this time equipped with a mask, camouflage jacket and tactical pants – he didn’t last long. Most alarmingly, he allegedly told his grandmother on that same day that he was “going to be famous.”
Pardo soon discovered a scary cache of military swag. Getting off from his experience in Iraq, further complicating matters, he found a homemade firework explosive in their house. Her son had carved the name of an Australian soldier on the explosive. This individual had carried out an attack against two mosques in New Zealand in early 2019. This new discovery has officials on edge — to them, it’s a huge red flag that foreshadows what he was planning to do.
Prosecutors highlighted Pardo’s “fascination with past mass shooters, including their manifestos,” further emphasizing the depth of concern surrounding the case. Court documents state that Pardo encouraged her son’s violent speech and drawings. It calls into question her claims that she was clueless to his deeply problematic behavior.
Pardo has been charged with one count of aiding in the commission of terrorism. Following her arrest, McCarty was released from custody on Tuesday after posting $75,000 bail. She is due back in court on July 17.
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