A Maryland woman has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the deaths of her 7-year-old niece and 5-year-old nephew after authorities discovered their decomposing bodies in the trunk of her car during a 2021 traffic stop. Nicole M. Johnson, 36, was convicted on two counts of child abuse resulting in death and was ordered to serve a life sentence with all but 50 years suspended. If released, she will be on supervised probation for five years, must undergo mental health treatment, and is barred from contact with minors.
The grim discovery was made on the night of July 28, 2021, when Baltimore County police pulled over Johnson’s vehicle on Eastern Boulevard near Wagners Lane. Officers determined that the car was uninsured, unregistered, and had a fake license plate, leading them to initiate a tow. While speaking with Johnson about the situation, she made a bizarre statement: “It don’t matter, I won’t be here in five days. Y’all going to see me on the news, y’all going to see on the news making my big debut.”
When instructed to remove any belongings from the car before towing, Johnson took out a plastic tote and a clear garbage bag, attempting to conceal them under a blanket. Officers immediately noticed maggots and a strong odor of decomposition coming from the bags. Upon further inspection, police found the remains of 7-year-old Joshlyn inside a suitcase. Her younger brother, Larry, was discovered in the plastic tote. Both children were severely emaciated, with Joshlyn weighing only 18 pounds and Larry just 21 pounds at the time of their deaths.
During questioning, Johnson admitted that Joshlyn had died in May 2020. She claimed they were staying at a motel when she discovered the child had been stealing from her. Johnson admitted to striking the girl multiple times, causing her to fall and hit her head. When Joshlyn became unresponsive, Johnson placed her in the suitcase and left her body in the trunk for several months. She further stated that Larry passed away in his sleep approximately two months before her arrest.
Johnson had been caring for the children because their biological mother was unable to do so. At one point, arrangements had been made for the children to return to their mother, but Johnson never showed up for the exchange. Their mother was unaware of what had happened to them until police informed her of their deaths.
