Maryland Woman Sentenced to Life in Prison (All but 50 Years Suspended) for Killing Young Niece and Nephew Found in Trunk
On Monday, a Baltimore County judge ordered 36-year-old Nicole M. Johnson to serve a life sentence in a state correctional facility, with all but 50 years suspended, after her conviction on two counts of child abuse resulting in death of a child under 13.
The victims, identified as 7-year-old Joshlyn Johnson and 5-year-old Larry O’Neal, were found during a late-night traffic stop on July 28, 2021. Baltimore County Police officers with the Essex precinct pulled over Johnson’s vehicle near Eastern Boulevard and Wagners Lane in the Back River area.
According to court records, Johnson’s car was uninsured, unregistered, and equipped with a fake license plate, prompting officers to tow the vehicle. Before the car could be removed, Johnson’s alarming statements—“It don’t matter, I won’t be here in five days” and “ya’ll going to see me on the news making my big debut”—led police to investigate further.
Officers noticed the smell of decomposition as Johnson removed belongings from her trunk. When they asked to see inside a suitcase Johnson attempted to conceal, they found the body of Joshlyn. They then discovered Larry’s remains in a separate plastic tote. Authorities said both children were severely underweight, with Joshlyn weighing only 18 pounds and Larry weighing 21 pounds at the time of their deaths.
During her interview with police, Johnson admitted to striking Joshlyn in May 2020 at a motel after she suspected the child had been stealing. She said the child collapsed and remained unresponsive, prompting her to place Joshlyn’s body in a suitcase and store it in the trunk for several months. Johnson claimed that Larry died in his sleep about two months before her arrest.
The children’s mother, Dachelle Johnson, wrote online that she had been trying to regain custody of her children from her sister when Johnson “just disappeared.” She explained that she initially allowed Johnson to watch Joshlyn and Larry because she was unable to care for them at the time. A prearranged exchange never took place; Dachelle only learned of the children’s fate after police contacted her about their deaths.
“It was supposed to just be a family helping family situation,” Dachelle wrote on a since-deleted fundraising page. “I trusted her… I’ll never get to see my kids because of a mistake I made in trusting my sister. I wish I could take it back, but I can’t.”
Per the court’s orders, should Nicole Johnson ever be released, she will be required to serve five years of supervised probation, complete mental health treatment, and have no contact with anyone under the age of 18.
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