Woman Charged After Firing Gun Into Lawn During Child Custody Swap

by Ryan Yousefi June 29, 2026

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Ashley Nicole Orange {BSO}

A Margate woman was arrested after police say she fired a gun into a lawn to announce her arrival for a child custody exchange while her three children were in the vehicle.

According to a Margate Police Department probable cause affidavit, officers responded to the 4900 block of Southwest 49th Terrace on June 21 after receiving reports of a shooting.

When officers arrived, they made contact with Ashley Nicole Orange, 33, who was seated in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. Investigators say the incident stemmed from a verbal argument between Orange and the father of her three children during the custody exchange.

Police allege that Orange fired her gun from inside her vehicle while the three young children were present. The affidavit states the bullet entered the grass within the property’s front yard.

The report notes that one was injured, and investigators found no visible damage to the property. The children’s father was reportedly inside the residence at the time of the gunfire and did not witness the shooting.

Officers recovered the handgun from the floorboard of Orange’s vehicle. Investigators also located a spent shell casing that they observed falling from the front passenger side of the SUV as one of the children exited the vehicle, according to the report.

Orange was taken into custody and booked into the Broward County Main Jail. She has since been released after posting a $9,500 bond.

Orange faces charges of discharging a firearm from a vehicle and three counts of child neglect without great bodily harm. Records show the City of Margate has filed a risk protection order following Orange’s arrest.

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Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.