A Michigan woman was charged with murder days after the body of her 3-year-old daughter was found with stab wounds inside a trash bag, authorities say.
Mother of 3-year-old stabbed and thrown in trash is arrested
Justine Johnson, 22, was arraigned Monday in 81st District Court in Tawas City on one count of first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse. She pleaded not guilty to both charges and is scheduled for a probable cause conference on Sept. 28.
Police were called last Friday to a residence in Iosco County in Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula after a garbage bag with a human foot protruding from it was found in the home.
Police said the bag contained the body of Johnson’s daughter, Sutton Mosser. Iosco County Prosecutor James Bacarella said the girl had suffered multiple stab wounds.
The girl’s grandmother, Alisa Johnson, said she believes her daughter is innocent and would never have harmed her infant daughter.
“Justine loved Sutton with all her heart. She would never let anyone hurt that baby,” she told WNEM-TV.
A message was left Tuesday for Johnson’s court-appointed attorney to comment on the charges.
According to a probable cause affidavit, one of Johnson’s brothers found the trash bag with the child’s body inside. The affidavit states that the day before he asked Johnson where his son was and she told him to mind his own business, WJRT-TV reported.
Agents found Johnson hours after the discovery of her daughter’s body walking along the train tracks. She told agents she did not want to talk about her son’s death, according to the affidavit.
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