Michigan Mom Starves, Kills Infant After Strapping Him To Car Seat

A woman from Michigan was charged with murder after she allegedly starved her son for days while he was strapped to a baby car seat in their home, according to reports.

Lovily Johnson, 22, was arraigned in a Wyoming court Monday on charges of first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse in the death of her six-month-old son Noah Edward Johnson.

According to M Live, Johnson brought her son to the emergency room in the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids on July 19.

“Upon arrival, Noah was clearly deceased and had been for some time,’’ Wyoming Detective Robert Meredith wrote in a probable cause affidavit, stated reports. “Johnson . . . admitted that Noah was under her care and no one else’s care for the last four days.” She was arrested the same day.

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The incident reportedly occurred in Johnson's apartment on McKee Avenue south of 26th Street SW.

Meredith added: “Johnson admitted to being at home multiple times a day during that time frame. She knowingly and intentionally deprived him of the necessities of life by not feeding him since Monday evening. During this time, Noah remained buckled in a car seat on the upper floor of Johnson’s apartment with no air conditioning.’’

Johnson appeared for the arraignment via video before Wyoming District Court Judge Steven Timmers. A not guilty plea was entered on her behalf. Both charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Wood TV reported that court records showed in addition to the deceased infant, Johnson also has another child born in 2015.

They also revealed that Johnson had taken out a personal protection order against the father of her first-born child, claiming she feared for the safety of herself and her children after he hit her and bit her in the face.

The father pleaded guilty to aggravated domestic violence in September last year and was sentenced to one day in jail. He currently has a bench warrant issued against him for allegedly being almost $6,000 behind in child support. He is also believed to be the father of the child who died.

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Apart from these charges, Johnson also has a probation violation hearing from an earlier case after she reportedly admitted to embezzling money from a business on 28th Street SE. In September, she was placed on probation for eight months and ordered to stay away from Woodland Mall.

Other violations include failing to pay fines and court costs, not performing community service and failing to seek and secure a job, stated a report by ABC Michigan affiliate WZZM 13 TV.

The report said that a Kent County judge ordered her two-year-old daughter to be placed under the supervision of the state. Efforts would also be made to place the child under the care of her grandmother.

In the arraignment Monday, Judge Timmers ordered her held without bond pending her next court appearance. Johnson asked for a court-appointed attorney. She will be back in court for a probable cause hearing on August 2, said WZZM 13 TV.