ASHLAND, OH – An ‘extreme targeting operation’ has transpired against an Ashland, Ohio father that tried to protect his four children from their abusive mother.  The operation started nearly a year ago and the results thus far have essentially subjected the children to torture and high risk for harm (see evidence gallery), by systemically attacking the father into oblivion.  The abuse towards the children was allowed by Ashland Common Pleas Domestic Relations Judge Emily Bates when she placed them (ages: 5, 6, 8, and 13) with their abuser (the kids mother).  The mother resides in the high-risk environment of Mansfield, Ohio, where the children are now trapped and tortured in a home environment defined by drug use, activity, mental warfare and violence.  Their mother uses illicit substances, is physically and emotionally abusive to her children and everyone around her. The danger is compounded by the presence of her boyfriend, Terry Melton – despite having no relation to the children and a federal criminal record for drug trafficking and gun crimes, Melton remains in the home and is actively physically abusing them alongside the children’s mother.

This article will provide proof that the children are suffering severe physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their mother, her boyfriend, and their grandmother.  All abuse is taking place in real-time and only shows the abuse taking place after she received temporary custody.  To see past abuse please click here.  They are subjected to extreme neglect, including being left alone all night long, sometimes with drug addicts, sometimes out in the cold.  They are beat, they are screamed at in ways you can never fathom – to the point they harm themselves.  They have lacked food, heat, clean clothing and are now beginning to display the results of severe trauma via interpersonal violence and threats to kill their mother and grandmother in the process.

EVIDENCE GALLERY

Gallery is comprised of the mother’s personal cellphone device(s) images, search history, Facebook messages and full SMS data.  All results are predominantly from January and February of 2026, with a few being from December of 2025 and one video conversation from an earlier date.  All items pertain to the wellbeing of the children and the immediate risk they face every single day.  You will see horrific Google search results, conversations, images and videos of abusive behavior towards that of the children.  This gallery is just a small example of data stored and collected in this ongoing situation.  

THE BOYFRIEND

Terry Melton is the boyfriend and another man abusing the children.  He hits them.  He is called daddy in front of them.  He just had federal court, he is on federal probation.  He should not even be around these children.  He is a drug trafficker that stores drugs (crack, cocaine, fentanyl) in the home and sells them from the home where the children live. Also see: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/felon-mansfield-found-guilty-illegal-possession-firearm

ARTICLE UPDATE 2/24/2026:  Melton was arrested shortly after this article ran and charged with OVI.  Refused all sobriety tests.  License suspended.  Arraignment is scheduled for 2/25/2026.  Yet another violation of his Federal Probation. 

CHILD ABUSE

Boyfriend beating the children, mother abusing children, Google history stemming from December to February.

ARTICLE UPDATE 3/02/2026:  The children have been removed from the only schools they have ever known.   It was discovered that two of the children were pulled from their schools on 2/24/2026 – just a day after this article ran.  Another child was just reportedly removed from her preschool today on 3/02/2026.  The mother is attempting to hide the abuse from counselors that were established at the oldest son’s school due to this ongoing and developing situation.  Mother is also continuing to prevent husband from talking to or seeing the children.

DRUG RELATED

The acquisition of drugs, individuals on drugs watching the children or being asked to watch the children. 

NO FOOD, NO MONEY

No food at her mother’s house.  Also the grandmother using the other children she has just for money.  Also see this related article on the grandmother that watches the children (she is a child abuser as well, which is why her daughter is the way she is): https://scumbagged.com/2025/12/23/patricia-wright-exposed-prostitute-drug-addict-child-abuser-lorain-ohio/

KIDS LEFT ALONE

Ages 5, 6 & 8.  In regards to child going to school with scratches, Google search data show’s it was the mother screaming at him non-stop that caused that.  Child was then questioned by counselors at school and refused to talk as they are being traumatized by their mother and unsure as to where their father is.

TRAUMA EFFECT

Children expressing hatred towards their mother and grandmother (they are not used to being relentlessly abused, abandoned and treated the way they have been – this is because their father isn’t there to stop it).

ELDER ABUSE

Current employer “CORNERSTONE CAREGIVING”, previous employer “AMEDISYS”.  Same results.  Elder abuse.  2024 almost charged with elder abuse for not taking care of her own grandmother even when the entire family would call to wake her up.  Fast forward 2 years.  Same behavior.  This time allowed a patient to wander outside (hungover and high on drugs – fell asleep).  Thankfully the police found him, his body temperature was 68 degrees and he had to be hospitalized!  She is still employed!!!

VIDEOS

• VIDEO 1 (CLICK) – This 4+ minute video is a conversation that was taken this past week (second week of February).  Within it you will read how this woman left children outside for 40 minutes in the cold and how the mother almost killed her patient she was taking care of.  As well as a host of other issues. 
• VIDEO 2 (CLICK) –  25 second video is a conversation that was taken several months ago (June of 2025).  It demonstrates drug distribution and the chaotic nature of the life the mother lives with her boyfriend.  

Allow up to 5 minute’s for buffering.  Click VIDEO hyperlink, wait.

HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?

The abuse is happening and growing worse every single day and it’s because Judge Bates intentionally gave the children to their abuser, this even after being shown that the woman was abusive to her husband and children over a prolonged period of time (part of the extreme targeting operation).   The husband filed a civil protection order in April of 2025 in an effort to protect the children and himself, Judge Bates disregarded the information and decided that the woman wasn’t a threat.  Even after seeing clear evidence of abuse and behavior.  Judge Bates would also go on in her ruling to state that prostitution with or without the children in the mother’s custody is not a nexus. Judge Bates also knew that the mother was terminated from her mental health counseling and not undergoing any treatment at the time of her ruling, yet she stated that it was apparent the woman needed mental health treatment for some time.

In September of 2025 the husband filed for divorce at the request of the Ashland City Schools to prevent the mother from unenrolling the children.  This stemming after the mother had taken the kids, relocated them, unenrolled them from their school system and stopped all communication with the husband and family for a four day period. The divorce fell before Judge Emily Bates again, and again she ruled against the father and protecting his children by denying the temporary sole custody even after being informed through his filing as to the ongoing situation with the wife’s mental health, living arrangements and the kidnapping of the children. The husband filed for dismissal of his divorce shortly thereafter knowing what the outcome would be with this judge.

Two months later in November of 2025 the wife then filed for divorce.  One again the matter fell before Judge Emily Bates, and in the wife’s packet she said her husband was abusive, hiding the children from her and that she did not know about their whereabouts, amongst a host of other false allegations.  All of these statements were lies and had no evidence or proof to back them up.  The mother had indeed been seeing her children whenever she wanted and knew of their well-being and whereabouts.   Judge Bates immediately ruled, without a hearing – and had the children removed from the father and placed into her care.  The father who had been taking care of them by himself for 6.5 months.  The father that had protected his children over the years from the abuse projected by the mother, now was relegated to one Sunday every other week.

• ANOTHER ARTICLE INCLUDING ALL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO JUDGE BATES CAN BE FOUND HERE.  THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS MANY EMBEDDED LINKS THAT SHOW SERIOUS ABUSE: Ashland Ohio Judge Allows Man’s Wife to Prostitute with their Children, Weaponizes Court

Since November 7th, 2025 the wife has now had the children, she has not so much as allowed the husband or children to make a phone call.  Her mother – who often also has the children also does not allow phone calls to or from the father with his children.  This is because they are trying to hide the abuse and cover up everything that is being done to the children.

“Time is of the essence, it is only a matter of time before something horrible happens.” –  Father

The father of the children had the following to say regarding the situation:  “My wife and her mother won’t let me talk to them or see them because they know my kids will tell me what is going on.  This is a method to cover up the abuse.  This is alienation.  Everyone involved with this family or these people that is allowing this to happen that keeps turning a blind eye to my children will be held accountable for their actions.  This is enough already.  I do everything legally and lawfully and continue to get attacked while my children get attacked.  I love my kids, I have never hurt them, I have provided for them and cared for them their entire lives, I never lied to the courts.  It is my duty to protect them, and every single step of the way the law is telling me that they don’t need protecting, that it’s ok they are being abused, that it’s fine they are ripped from their schools, that they are left home alone, that they can be left in the cold, without food, be around drugs and drug trafficking, prostitution, mental warfare of the likes nobody should ever have to see.  Why?  Because it’s all part of their extreme targeting of me and through that targeting they are and will be held responsible for destroying my children.  Is it not obvious that she want’s to prostitute?  To do drugs?  She has a stripper pole in her kitchen!  She has fought with me for years so she can prostitute, so she can do drugs and each time I have been faced with the consequences of putting my foot down, whether it be catching her in the process or telling her no, trying ulterior methods to get her to stop her behavior, trying to leave or have her leave, trying to stop her from harming the children, herself or me, it doesn’t matter.  Time is of the essence, it is only a matter of time before something horrible happens to my children, because she is completely unchecked and emboldened now.  She is not the victim or even a victim, she is the perpetrator, she is the abuser of herself, of me and of our children, no accountability, a demonic entity, a fucking human parasite.  If my kids ever read this someday I just want them to know I love them and I tried my best for them and I’m sorry that this is happening to them but I’ll never give up and I will never stop fighting for them…”

TARGETING TIMELINE

The extreme targeting operation in full view for all to see and the steps that were taken along the way to get to the point in time where the children have been placed under these conditions.

• Step 1 – Ashland Ohio Detective Curt Dorsey Utilized Cellebrite to Crack iPhone Passcode w/o Valid Search Warrant, Falsified Report
• Step 2 – Ashland Ohio Law Director Dave Hunter Deprives Victim of Rights, Obstructs Justice & Neglects Duty
• Step 3 – Ashland Ohio Judge Allows Man’s Wife to Prostitute with their Children, Weaponizes Court
  • Step 3 a.)  PRO Poker Player Caught Prostituting & Soliciting Woman with Mental Health Issues
• Step 4 – LCSO Human Trafficking Director Scott Moran Exposed: Used Personal Cellphone Unlawfully, Attacked & Threatened Victim
• Step 5 – Ashland Ohio Police Use Excessive Force against Homeless Man Accompanied by Perjury & Fabricated Charges
• Step 6 – Ashland Ohio Municipal Court Bailiff Issues Stark Warning/Threat to Victim of Persistent Targeting, Retaliation & Harassment in Open Court
• Step 7 – Ashland Ohio State Trooper Violated 4th Amendment in 45-Minute ‘Fishing Expedition’: Extreme Targeting Campaign
• Step 8 – Ashland Ohio Attorney Jeffrey Honaker Exposed for Misconduct & Malpractice
  • Step 8 a.) Ashland Municipal Court Retaliates Again, This Time after Exposing Court Fixer
• Step 9 – Ashland Ohio Law Director’s Prosecutorial Misconduct & Negligence Leads to Unchecked Harassment of Senior Citizen
• Step 10 – Ashland Ohio Police Engaged in Collusion, Targeting, Ethics & Constitutional Rights Violations at External Agencies Direction
• NEXT Step 11 – Continue to prosecute the father to hide the mother’s true nature and cover up the aforementioned abuses in the process. 
  • We are now here at this stage of this situation, with this article outlining the abuse taking place against the children (2/23/2026) the father has warrants for his arrest in multiple counties due to corrupt individuals that have been blinded by evidence and reality.
  • MORE INFORMATION/STAY UP TO DATE:  OneBadSituation on TikTok to see hundreds of videos and evidence pertaining to this ongoing situation dating back to 2021!

THE BOTTOM LINE 

AETOS Says:  Anyone going against these children and the father should be criminally charged at this point.

SCUMBAGGED Tip:  The mother and grandmother are both abusers.  The father was never an abuser.  It is documented based off of evidence lodged throughout numerous CPS and criminal cases spanning from 2021-2026 that the father is not the problem, that the mother is.   The video’s show the mother attacking the father as well as the children.  Even the videos the mother herself took.  Fake cases against the husband even when the husband investigated his own wife for things over the years and informed authorities.  Based on all of the information there is one clear indicator here, the father is being railroaded and the mother is going to kill or harm her kids and her patients in the process, it is inevitable – the father never lied.  Judge Bates needs to resign and the entire city of Ashland need’s to be investigated for what they did to this man for trying to protect his children and someone needs to do something immediately.