A Baltimore woman received a 50-year prison sentence after the remains of her niece and nephew were discovered in the trunk of her car during a traffic stop.
Nicole Michelle Johnson was sentenced for the deaths of 7-year-old Joshlyn Marie James Johnson and 5-year-old Larry Darnell O’Neal, whose bodies were found in 2021, according to the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office and CBS News.
As previously reported by CrimeOnline, police pulled Johnson over on July 28, 2021, for driving without a license and discovered she had a fake temporary tag and registration. When an officer informed her that her car would be towed and issued a citation, Johnson reportedly responded, “It don’t matter, I won’t be here in five days,” and “Y’all going to see me on the news making my big debut.”
While preparing to tow the vehicle, the officer noticed a foul odor coming from the trunk, where the bodies were discovered—one in a plastic tote bag and the other in a suitcase. When the officer found the first body, Johnson allegedly attempted to flee the scene.
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During police questioning, Johnson reportedly admitted to hitting Joshlyn several times in May 2020, which caused the girl to fall and hit her head. She claimed to have placed Larry’s body in the trunk alongside his sister’s remains a year later but did not disclose how he died. Johnson had taken her niece and nephew from their mother, her sister, at the mother’s request in 2019.
Johnson’s sister, Dachelle Johnson, told police that she had not been able to contact her sister since 2019 and was unaware of her children’s deaths until authorities informed her.
In August 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to two counts of child abuse resulting in the death of a victim under 13, according to the Dayton Daily News.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
