After the decomposing remains of her young niece and nephew were discovered in the trunk of her car during a late Wednesday traffic stop in Essex, a Baltimore woman faces several charges, including two counts of child abuse resulting in death, according to WJZ.
According to Baltimore County police, Nicole Johnson was pulled over late Wednesday night in Essex by an officer. When the officer told the 33-year-old that the car had to be transported because the tags were counterfeit, the officer “detected the unmistakable odor of decomposition,” according to authorities.
According to the police department, Johnson removed a blanket from the trunk after the officer repeatedly asked her to do so, exposing the decaying remains of one child. Officers discovered a tied-up plastic bag containing the decomposing body of the second child during a search.
Police said those kids were her 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Johnson and her five-year-old nephew, Larry O’Neal.
Johnson told investigators she was caring for the children since their mother couldn’t, but the mother told detectives she’d attempted to get her children back. She claimed she made plans to have her children brought back to her in March, but Johnson never showed up.
According to court documents, the 7-year-old girl weighed 18 pounds and the 5-year-old boy weighed 21 pounds at the time of the autopsy. The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Johnson is still being held without bond.
Source: WJZ
