Lang
2/2/24
An Iowa City arson suspect is accused of trying to cancel her son’s health insurance and medical appointments, despite a no-contact order being in place.
40-year-old Ashley Bunting of Maggard Street was booked into the Johnson County Jail just before 2:00 Thursday afternoon. Iowa City Police say they were notified by the boy’s father on November 29th that someone had tried to cancel his son’s health insurance by using MyChart. He contacted police again on December 5th to notify them that someone had also cancelled a medical appointment at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics that was necessary for the child’s continued care. Only the child’s parents have access to the account, and the father denied doing it. A search of MyChart records allegedly indicated Bunting carried out both acts through her login. She now faces a no-contact order violation.
Bunting is also accused of sending multiple threatening text messages to one of her sons while he was at City High School on the morning of December 12th. She allegedly said she was going to kill the teen’s little brother, and that it was going to happen that day. She allegedly said she had no other choice, that she was sorry, and that she was a “crazy mother”. Bunting was arrested and charged with 1st Degree Harassment.
Bunting is already facing felony arson and stalking charges after she allegedly tried to set a truck on fire on the 1600 block of Aber Avenue last August over child custody issues with the vehicle’s owner. Trial is set for March 19th. If convicted on all charges, Bunting faces a maximum of 22 years in prison.