Current:Home > MarketsGrandmother charged with homicide, abuse of corpse in 3-year-old granddaughter’s death -BrightPath Capital
Grandmother charged with homicide, abuse of corpse in 3-year-old granddaughter’s death
View
Date:2025-04-27 13:06:14
A Western Pennsylvania woman has been charged in the horrific abuse and killing of her 3-year-old granddaughter, Pittsburgh police said.
Denise Johnson, 56, was arrested Monday and charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, aggravated assault, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children in connection to the death of toddler Ayla Miller, court papers obtained by USA TODAY show.
According to the Pittsburgh Police Department, officers and paramedics responded to Johnson's home in a downtown apartment complex just after 11:30 a.m. Sunday for a report of a suspicious death involving a young female.
According to a criminal complaint, the child's uncle dialed 911 after finding the toddler unconscious, not breathing, and "obviously deceased."
Court documents identified the child as Ayla Miller and say paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.
Georgia high school shooting:Suspect in custody after shooting at Apalachee High School, authorities say
Ayla Miller suffered multiple injuries including burn mark 'consistent with a cigarette burn'
The complaint, filed by a detective, said the child was found on a bloody mattress on the ground in the apartment's master bedroom, "cold to the touch" and covered in bruises, scratches, and other injuries to her face, chest, and hip.
She also had a wound on her right ankle and a burn mark on her left ankle, "consistent with a cigarette burn," the criminal complaint continues.
Ayla's mother told police her daughter had been in Johnson's custody for about a month and a half living in the dark, after having her electricity cut off. The baby's mother said Johnson had been attempting to find new housing and that she "had a Facetime call" with her child about a week earlier and saw no trauma to her baby's face.
Another relative told police she spoke with Johnson Sunday, who apologized and said "she punched" the baby in the face, and the toddler fell back and hit her head on a coffee table "really hard."
"Johnson then picked (the baby) up off the ground," the complaint continues and placed her into the bed for the next few days" before the child was found dead by a relative.
During an interview with detectives, court papers read, Johnson apologized and said "she beat her butt for not listening" before she fell into the table.
Grandmother accused of killing granddaughter jailed with no bond
Online court records show Johnson was being held without bond at the Alleghany County Jail on Wednesday.
Records did not list an attorney for Johnson, who is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on the charges next week.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
veryGood! (17)
Related
- $73.5M beach replenishment project starts in January at Jersey Shore
- Biden’s son Hunter heads to a Delaware court where he’s expected to plead guilty to tax crimes
- 'Shame on us': Broncos coach Sean Payton rips NFL for gambling policy after latest ban
- Ethan Slater’s Former Costar Reacts to “Unexpected” Ariana Grande Romance
- Kylie Jenner Shows Off Sweet Notes From Nieces Dream Kardashian & Chicago West
- Bryan Cranston slams artificial intelligence during SAG-AFTRA rally: 'We ask you to hear us'
- After backlash, Lowe's rehires worker fired after getting beaten in shoplifting incident
- Pedestrians scatter as fire causes New York construction crane’s arm to collapse and crash to street
- NFL Week 15 picks straight up and against spread: Bills, Lions put No. 1 seed hopes on line
- Education Department investigating Harvard's legacy admission policies
Ranking
- South Korean president's party divided over defiant martial law speech
- Colorado students at private career school that lost accreditation get federal loan relief
- Arrests after headless body found in Japanese hotel room but man's head still missing
- Traps removed after no sign of the grizzly that killed a woman near Yellowstone
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Malaysia's a big draw for China's Belt and Road plans. Finishing them is another story
- Unexplained outage at Chase Bank leads to interruptions at Zelle payment network
- 10,000 red drum to be stocked in Calcasieu Lake estuary as part of pilot program
Recommendation
John Galliano out at Maison Margiela, capping year of fashion designer musical chairs
Cigna health giant accused of improperly rejecting thousands of patient claims using an algorithm
'Haunted Mansion' review: Don't expect a ton of chills in Disney's safe ghost ride
Where the 2024 Republican presidential candidates stand on China
Who are the most valuable sports franchises? Forbes releases new list of top 50 teams
Biden to forgive $130 million in debt for CollegeAmerica students
London jury acquits Kevin Spacey of sexual assault charges on his birthday
Kelly Ripa Is Thirsting Over This Shirtless Photo of Mark Consuelos at the Pool