5-Year-Old Girl Found Dead Hidden In Chinese Restaurant Owners Arrested

An Ohio mother and part owner of a Chinese restaurant is facing decades behind bars after pleading guilty to charges related to the death of her 5-year-old daughter.

Ang’s Asian Cuisine owner, Mingming Chen, 30, pleaded guilty Friday to involuntary manslaughter among other counts in exchange for a reduction in the original murder charge against her.

The body of little Ashley Zhao was found in January hidden inside Ang’s Asian Cuisine, the Chinese restaurant her parents owned in North Canton, CrimeOnline previously reported.

During the initial investigation, the girl’s parents said she told them she was going to take a nap in the back of the restaurant earlier in the day. Mingming Chen said her daughter was gone when she went to check on her several hours later.

Authorities initiated a search, but ultimately found the girl inside of the restaurant where they started. Her parents were soon arrested and charged in connection with her death.

Her father, Liang J. Zhao, was accused of being involved in hiding the girl’s body before reporting her to authorities as missing.

Stark County sheriff’s officials indicated that he discovered the girl after she had been beaten. He reportedly carried her to a bathroom to wash a green liquid from her face and then attempted to revive her with CPR after realizing she wasn’t breathing.

A murder charge against him was dropped in September as part of a deal that resulting in him pleading guilty to obstruction of justice and gross abuse of a corpse.

Mingming Chen initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.