According to authorities, an Ohio mother who killed her ex-girlfriend’s 8-year-old kid will serve at least 15 years in prison.
In the Milo-Grogan section of Columbus, on Olmstead Avenue, eight-year-old Martonio Wilder was discovered dead in the attic of his house in late June 2024, concealed in a trash bag inside a sleeping bag.
Johnna Lowe, 24, entered a guilty plea to one count each of murder and gross abuse of a corpse in Franklin County Common Pleas Court on Thursday, and was given a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
After completing 15 years of her term, the sentenced lady is entitled for parole under Buckeye State law.
When Martonio’s mother, LaShanda Delores Wilder, 33, called the police to report him missing on June 28, 2024, law enforcement became engaged in the investigation, even though the events leading up to the young boy’s death probably continued for months before he passed away.
An Amber Alert was broadcast, however it was swiftly canceled.
When authorities discovered the child’s body in the attic during the subsequent inquiry, they became skeptical of how he had died.
According to authorities, after an initial search, Lowe and Wilder allegedly left the house shortly after the missing persons report was submitted.
However, Wilder reportedly became “uncooperative” and stated she did not want the cadaver dog inside after authorities brought it.
Thus, Lowe and her two other children departed with the boy’s mother.
Investigators were thus much more eager to speak with the two women after obtaining a search order and discovering the victim’s remains. The following day, they surrendered themselves in.
According to an autopsy report, the young kid died from homicide due to “asphyxia by anterior neck compression.”
Systematic abuse was also evident. The victim also experienced extreme starvation and dehydration, according to the medical examiner, in addition to blunt damage to his skull.
He was just forty-nine inches tall and weighed barely thirty-five pounds when he passed away. He also exhibited “severe loss of muscle mass,” according to the coroner.
The Franklin County District Attorney’s Office claimed a history of abuse against the pair after they were indicted. Prosecutors claimed in an in-court report that Martonio was frequently kept away from meals by being imprisoned in a closet.
Additionally, the victim was occasionally strangled with an extension cable and beaten.
Lowe allegedly told detectives that the youngster had been locked up in a coat closet and beaten with a crutch two days before to his death. She claimed that this was consistent with the “unusual punishments” given to the little child.
Outside the Franklin County courthouse, Martonio’s great-aunt told the television station, “He was full of life.” He was really intelligent. He cherished everyone. All he wanted was love. He would embrace you.
The warning flags had been there for a long time, according to Martonio’s cousin.
“She always kept him in the corner,” she stated. “He was always in the corner, and everyone else was playing. What did he do now? Oh, he stole. What did he steal, food? He is probably hungry.”
However, the youngster’s relative pointed out that those indications were reportedly insufficient for child welfare officials to take any action.
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“I can’t take your child from you because you keep your kid in timeout too long,” the cousin continued. “I can’t take him from you even though I know you’re feeding the other two kids more than you’re feeding him.”
Since May 2022, Franklin County Children’s Services has been assisting the family. According to the organization, they provided Martonio’s mother with a wide range of support services during that time, while police were also present all the time.
In the year-and-a-half preceding Martonio’s death, law enforcement made at least 13 visits to the residence.
These periodic governmental interventions ultimately proved insufficient. Lowe was granted credit for 342 days of pre-trial imprisonment as part of her plea in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.
As of right now, Wilder’s court date is July 15.
