Young victim of parental cruelty and callous indifference: Cops found ‘missing’ Ashley Zhao, 5, was concealed in a back room at her parent’s North Canton restaurant in January

An Ohio dad has admitted to hiding his daughter’s body in his restaurant after his wife allegedly beat the child to death.
Liang Zhao pleaded guilty Monday to charges including obstructing justice, corpse-abuse, tampering with evidence and endangering children after the body of 5-year-old Ashley Zhao was discovered by police “concealed” in a room at the family’s North Canton restaurant in January.

Liang Zhao [left], admitted to hiding his daughter’s body at his restaurant after his wife Mingming Chen [right], allegedly beat her to death

The couple from North Akron, Ohio were charged in their missing daughter’s death after police found the girl’s beaten body hidden inside the family’s restaurant.
Ashley Zhao’s mother, Mingming Chen, was arrested for her murder on January 10, while the her father, Liang Zhao, faced charges of complicity in the case.
Chen and Zhao reported their daughter missing on the night of January 9, on the pretext that she vanished from their family-owned restaurant, Ang’s Asian Cuisine, in North Canton, Ohio.

The couple have a split defense team. Liang Zhao [left] sits next to his defense attorney Jacob Will. Mingming Chen [second right], is represented by Brandy Thorne [center]. The are seen during their child custody case at the Stark County Family Court, in January

The couple told investigators their daughter went into the back of the restaurant around 5 p.m. for a nap, but when her mom went to check on her several hours later, she was gone.
After authorities launched a state-wide hunt for the missing girl, investigators combing through the Asian diner found her body “concealed” in the building, near the kitchen’s freezer, police said. The complaint affidavit said Mingming Chen struck her daughter several times with her fist on Monday morning, and the injuries she sustained resulted in her death.
After the discovery the Akron Beacon Journal reports,  Zhao agreed to testify against his wife and will serve 12 years in prison.
The couple told authorities that the child vanished from the back room at their restaurant, Ang’s Asian Cuisine.

Mingming Chen literally beat her 5-year-old daughter Ashley Zhao to death with her bare hands, it is alleged. She then reported her missing. Chen has been charged in the child’s murder

Investigators said Chen had struck Ashley several times in the head with her fist, resulting in the girl’s death. Authorities said Zhao tried to revive Ashley before helping his wife hide her body.
After their arrest and arraignment in January, Judge David Nist ruled that the couple’s older daughter will be placed under the guardianship of the county. Chen was charged with murder and felonious assault and Zhao complicity to commit the same crimes in the murder of their daughter Ashley Zhao. Chen’s trial is set for Oct. 16.