Baltimore woman sentenced to 50 years after police find bodies of 2 children in her trunk
BALTIMORE -- A Baltimore woman was sentenced to 50 years in prison Monday after the remains of her niece and nephew were found in the trunk of her car during a traffic stop in 2021, according to the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office.
In July 2021, Baltimore County police pulled over Nicole Johnson in Essex. During the traffic stop, the responding officer smelled "the unmistakable odor of decomposition," and at one point saw maggots inside a bag.
Police said Johnson eventually removed a blanket from her trunk, exposing the decomposing remains of one of the children. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a plastic bag with the remains of the second child.
The children were her 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Johnson, and her 5-year-old nephew, Larry O'Neal, according to police.
Johnson told police she was taking care of the kids as their mother wasn't able to, but officers later discovered the mom had tried to get the kids back but Johnson never showed up.
Police records showed Joshlyn may have been dead for a year. Johnson told police that they were staying at a motel in May 2020 when she hit the girl, causing her to fall and hit her head.
Johnson further described to police how she put her niece's body in a suitcase and kept her remains in the car for months, according to police. She also said her nephew, Larry had an injury two months prior to the traffic stop and never woke up. She put Larry's body in a plastic bag next to his sister.
Baltimore County crime
There were 53 murders reported in Baltimore County in 2021, according to data from the state.
Five of those reported homicide cases were within the 21221 zip code, which encompasses Essex, police data shows.
In 2022, there were 34 murders reported in Baltimore County, a decrease of 35%.
In January, Baltimore County leaders met with members of the community to address the response to crime after a mass shooting and crash in Towson left eight people injured and one dead.
During the meeting, Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said the department installed new safety technology and opened additional investigations.
During the meeting, one resident told WJZ she feels unsafe as crime has gotten worse in her Loch Raven neighborhood over the past four years.
"I don't feel safe, that's the problem," Stacy Keller said. "This has been a beautiful neighborhood for a long time, and I'm concerned."
