‘I set up a bedroom camera to capture my daughter’s night seizures. Then my husband walked in…’ The video was so shocking it brought police to tears. Now PAULA VIGIL shares her story so awful it forced a change in the law

Holding a large-sized vial, the nurse approached my daughter Ashley’s bed.

‘We’ve got to draw more blood,’ she said.

It was the seventh time that day. Ashley was only three and cried every time. I wasn’t much better either. ‘I’ll step outside this time,’ I said, trying to hold it together, as my little girl called out for her mother. 

I’d been just 18 when I had Ashley. Her father wasn’t around and I’d been a single mother for much for that time. Things got even more challenging when Ashley was 18 months old and began to act differently.

She stopped making eye contact, started clasping her hands together and rocking back and forth. While other children her age were walking and talking, Ashley had rapidly deteriorated in both those areas. 

Of course, I took her to multiple doctors but none of them could work out what was wrong, other than suggesting it was likely some kind of genetic condition. The poor thing was in and out of hospital, being poked and prodded, tested for everything under the sun.

Sometimes she got distressed, but when each hospital procedure was over, she’d smile at me. She could no longer say ‘mama’ though, which broke my heart.

Finally, when she was six, Ashley was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, a progressive genetic neurological condition.

I was a single mother to Ashley for much of her life. Even though she couldn’t speak, she often smiled and giggled, even in her sleep 

‘Physically and mentally, she’ll always be an infant and probably won’t see her 11th birthday,’ the doctor told me. I was devastated, especially when soon after that she stopped growing completely.

A few years later, Ashley began having up to 18 seizures a day. Watching her tiny body jerk so violently was terrifying and upsetting to watch.

Despite all her challenges, Ashley shone. She still smiled and giggled, even sometimes when she was asleep.

Eventually, we found a medication that largely controlled Ashley’s seizures, which was a huge relief. Looking after her was still a full-time job though. Day and night. 

It was a tiring and lonely business.

In 2015, I got a Facebook message from Brian Kenneth Urban. We’d been at high school together, but I was surprised to hear from him, seeing as we hadn’t exactly got along well then.

Still, he convinced me it’d been a long time and he’d changed. When he asked me to go for coffee, I agreed.

He’d seen posts about Ashley on my Facebook page and told me he was in awe of how well I took care of her.

‘It’s amazing what you do for her,’ he said.

Sometimes Ashley, who had a genetic condition called Rett Syndrome, would have as many as 18 seizures in a day 

It was a tiring and lonely business taking care of Ashley. Then I met Brian

We started dating and I felt loved and supported. He helped me take Ashley to appointments and even contributed to her treatment financially. Eventually, we got married.

Brian was my rock when Ashley’s seizures started to ramp up again. She was 30 now – far outliving her prognosis – but I was still sick with worry.

I took her back to the neurologist and she suggested we try to film a seizure so she could get a better idea of what was going on.

So Brian helped me fit a wall-mounted indoor security camera on either side of Ashley’s bed.

For a few weeks, I routinely watched the footage back, waiting to capture a seizure. 

Then one day I took my mum to see a play for her birthday and Brian agreed to take care of Ashley for the evening.

The next morning, after a walk, I made a cup of tea and sat down to check Ashley’s overnight footage.

Opening the app, I scrolled back. Then I saw something that made my blood run cold. I almost fell to my knees.

In her thirties, my beloved daughter was the size of an eight year old, with the mind of an infant

Brian, on camera, sexually assaulting Ashley in her bedroom. My poor, defenceless daughter, cowering before the man who had said he loved and cared for us.

My daughter was the size of an eight year old with the mental capacity of an infant.  

Tears ran down my cheeks and I started hyperventilating.

Then I heard Brian’s footsteps on the stairs and I froze.

I wanted to grab Ashley and run but I was terrified and couldn’t think straight. We’d been living with a monster. How had I not known? How many times had this happened?

My head was spinning.

Brian walked into the kitchen and looked at me quizzically. It was obvious I was distressed.

‘What’s wrong?’ he frowned.

When I started dating Brian, he supported me by taking Ashley to appointments and even contributing financially

I really thought Brian cared about us. How could I have got it so wrong?

I made a hasty excuse to go out to the garage where I called the local police station.

Terrified of Brian, I arranged to meet police in the car park of a hotel just down the road from our apartment.

When officers arrived, I showed them the video. They couldn’t believe it.

‘In 20 years, this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen,’ one officer said with tears in his eyes.

We went back to the house where police arrested Brian on the spot. As they led him out, he tried to say something to me. 

‘Do not look at her. Do not speak to her,’ the officer yelled.

The rest was a blur. Ashley had to be examined at the hospital. Police officers – who’d had to watch the whole video, something I’d refused to do – told me Brian was seen fiddling with the cameras.

He’d obviously thought he was turning them off so he could carry out his sick attack without anyone ever finding out. 

In January 2024, Brian admitted two counts of rape and three of forcible sexual abuse.

I was told by a prosecutor that despite her disabilities, Ashley was regarded as an adult woman so there would be no mandatory sentence.

After Brian was jailed for five years to life for the two rape charges against Ashley and one to 15 years for each of the abuse charges, I got in touch with a local lawyer.

They helped me draft a new law which would impose mandatory sentences on people who offended against a disabled adult or any other especially vulnerable person.

In March this year, in honour of my daughter, the Governor of Utah signed Ashley’s Law, meaning predators like Brian, who prey on disabled children and adults, will face a minimum sentence of ten years to life.

Sadly, around that time, Ashley passed away in her sleep. 

I was beyond devastated knowing I hadn’t been able to protect her from evil. I just hope she is at peace.

•  As told to John Parrish 

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