BALTIMORE, Md. — A Maryland woman will serve 50 years in prison for the deaths of her 7-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew, whose decomposing bodies were discovered in the trunk of her car during a 2021 traffic stop.
Nicole M. Johnson, 36, was sentenced Monday to life in prison with all but 50 years suspended for the child abuse deaths of Joshlyn Johnson and Larry O’Neal. A Baltimore County judge also ordered five years of supervised probation and mandatory mental health treatment upon any potential release.
The bodies were found on July 28, 2021, when Baltimore County police stopped Johnson’s vehicle in Essex for traffic violations. Officers determined the car was uninsured, unregistered, and had fake license plates, leading them to order it towed. When Johnson was instructed to remove her belongings, police discovered the remains in the trunk.
Authorities said the children’s bodies had been stored in the vehicle for months. Johnson was later convicted of two counts of child abuse resulting in death.
The court also barred Johnson from having any contact with minors.