In a deeply troubling case, Denise Johnson, a 56-year-old woman from Pennsylvania, has been arrested and charged in connection with the death of her 3-year-old granddaughter, Ayla Miller. The charges against Johnson are severe, following what authorities describe as a horrific instance of child abuse that resulted in the young girl’s tragic death.
According to police reports, Johnson brutally beat her granddaughter and then left her in bed, where Ayla ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Court records indicate that Johnson faces multiple charges, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, and abuse of a corpse. As of now, no attorney has been listed for Johnson in the court documents.
Pittsburgh police responded to a call at around 11:30 a.m. on September 1, concerning a “suspicious death” at a residence. When officers arrived, they found young Ayla unresponsive and “cold to the touch,” as reported by KDKA.
According to a criminal complaint cited by WPXI, Ayla had been in Johnson’s care for about a month and a half before her death. The complaint details that Ayla’s body showed signs of severe trauma, including injuries to her neck and hip, facial bruising, and what appeared to be a cigarette burn on her ankle.
During questioning, Johnson admitted to striking Ayla, which allegedly caused the child to fall and hit her head. She reportedly confessed to investigators that she was too frightened to seek help for two days after Ayla failed to wake up. In a phone call following the discovery of Ayla’s body, Johnson allegedly confessed to punching the child in the face, causing her to fall, and expressed deep regret over the incident.
The complaint further revealed that Johnson kept Ayla in bed for several days until she died. Another child in the home told police they witnessed Johnson beating Ayla with a wooden stick until she could no longer move. Johnson then reportedly instructed the child to fetch a belt, which she used to continue the assault.
Denise Johnson is currently being held without bond, as per court records.
For more updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VabITrvEAKW7DSkTfP0J