CORBIN — Times-Tribune Staff Report

Ashley Nicole Cox of Corbin pleaded not guilty to the murder of her newborn infant during an arraignment hearing Wednesday in Oldham County. She requested a public defender and was scheduled for a pretrial hearing on March 17.

Cox, 20, is charged with first-degree murder and concealing the birth of an infant, a Class A misdemeanor, after she allegedly gave birth to a healthy baby girl in a prison restroom, then killed the infant by stuffing the child’s mouth with toilet paper.

The Courier-Journal reported that Cox gently shook her head and clinched her eyes shut as Oldham District Judge Diane Wheeler read the charges against her Wednesday.

She is being held on a $3 million bond.

Cox was visiting 21-year-old inmate Justin Bell in the Roederer Correctional Facility in Oldham County on Sunday when she gave birth to the child in a visitor’s restroom.

After delivering the child, which was reportedly healthy, police said Cox stuffed the baby’s mouth with toilet paper and concealed it in a trash can.

A preliminary autopsy found there was air in the child’s lungs, indicating it had taken a breath, police said.

Prison staff knocked on the restroom door after Cox had been in the stall 10-15 minutes. When Cox opened the door, they saw blood on the floor and called for an ambulance for Cox, despite Cox’s objections.

Kentucky Department of Corrections spokesperson Lisa Lamb said at the time, Cox denied having given birth or had a miscarriage.

A search for the infant was not launched until Cox was taken to Baptist Hospital East and hospital officials determined she had a full-term birth.

The baby’s body was found during a search late that afternoon, police said.

Cox’s employer, family and others interviewed by police said they had no idea she was pregnant.

“We were unaware of this pregnancy and we strongly believe she was unaware of it too,” Ashley’s sister Tiffany Cox told reporters outside of the Oldham County Courthouse Wednesday. “We are not only in shock but we are grieving this unexpected loss.

“Ashley is a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend,” Tiffany Cox said. “We will love and support her always. We ask you to please respect our privacy as a family as we try to mend the broken pieces.”

Man seeks custody of their 2-year-old

By Becky Manley and Samantha Swindler / Times-Tribune Staff

The Whitley County man who fathered a child with a Corbin woman accused of killing her newborn infant intends to seek full custody of their daughter.

The father, Joey Jones, said he contacted his lawyer about custody of the 2-year-old.

Jones also said he is not the father of the newborn allegedly killed by his ex-wife, 20-year-old Ashley Nicole Cox.

Earlier Wednesday, Cox pleaded not guilty to charges that she killed her newborn child and hid the infant’s body in a restroom trash can at Roederer Correctional Facility in Oldham County.

Police believe Cox, who was at the jail Sunday to visit inmate Justin Bell, 21, delivered the child about 10:55 a.m. in the jail’s single-stall restroom.

Jones, who filed for divorce from Cox in September, said the two have shared custody of their daughter and Jones said he has the girl alternating weekends.

Jones said Cox was a good mother to their daughter.

“My kid’s always clean when I get her,” Jones said. “I know my kid’s been well took care of.”

Cox is a teacher’s assistant at Beautiful Beginnings daycare in Corbin. Daycare owner Rob Low said Cox is now on unpaid administrative leave.

Jones said there was never any indication that Cox might be capable of harming a child.

“She was good with kids and the kids seemed to like her,” Jones said.

Jones said Cox attended but did not graduate from Corbin East School, an alternative school. Jones said a friend introduced him to Cox.

“Sometimes I wished I didn’t ever meet her, but I wouldn’t have my little girl now,” Jones said.

After Jones and Cox were wed by a clerk, Jones said they lived together briefly and that Cox never changed her name.

The two spent most of their marriage separated, Jones said.

“I ain’t been with her in over two years, two and a half years,” Jones said.

Until police arrested Cox, Jones said he agreed with the joint custody arrangement because he didn’t want to deprive his daughter of a relationship with her mother.

“She loves her mother,” Jones said. “She’s more closer to her mom than she was me.”

While she was pregnant with their daughter, Jones said Cox had a normal pregnancy and that she gained weight and was clearly pregnant.

When Jones saw Cox during recent months while picking up his daughter, Jones said Cox acted normally and never appeared to be pregnant.

“It shocked me that she was pregnant,” Jones said.

Jones said he first heard the news about the newborn’s murder on the radio, then a relative called him.

“My mom was sick to her stomach after she heard it,” Jones said.