Grandma Says “Put Them to Sleep” of Daughter(s) Who Killed Her Grandkids

In August 2021, the bodies of 7-year-old Joshlyn Marie James Johnson and 5-year-old Larry Darnell O’Neal were found deceased in the trunk of a car owned by Nicole Johnson, the kids' aunt, during a traffic stop in Maryland.

Police took Nicole into custody, charging her with several felony crimes.

Police found the bodies after telling Nicole they were towing her car. The car was uninsured, unregistered, and had a fake West Virginia temporary tag. Johnson was unlicensed. When the officer told her the court date, she made a rather unusual statement:

“It don’t matter. I won't be here in five days,” Johnson said. “Yall going to see me on the news, y’all going to see me on the news making my big debut.”

Death Smell in Back of the Car

The most shocking discovery came when the officer asked Johnson if she needed to get anything out to the car. He walked toward the back of the vehicle and noticed a horrific “death-like” smell.

Johnson removed a tote and trash bag from the trunk. The trash bag crawled with maggots, underneath a suitcase. Johnson told officers that “dirty blankets” were in the suitcase. The officer ordered Johnson to open the suitcase. Inside was the body of 7-year-old Joshlyn.

An autopsy determined Joshlyn was malnourished, weighing only 18-lbs at the time of her death.

Nicole attempted to flee but did not make it far.

That’s when officers opened the tote and discovered the body of Larry. He weighed only 21-pounds at his autopsy.

Put Them To Sleep

Now, the maternal grandmother of Joshlyn and Larry says she wants both of her daughters to pay for the deaths. Michelle Johnson, Nicole’s mother, says “put them to sleep.”

“I love her, but I want her to pay with every soul in my bones. They can put her to sleep as far as I’m concerned. Thy can put them both to sleep,” Johnson told reporters.

The other person she is referring to is her other daughter, Dachelle, the mother of the children. Dachelle hasn’t been charged with the deaths. The kids were in the care of her sister where they’d been since 2019. Dachelle said she could not care for the kids and relocated from Ohio to Maryland.

Nicole Tells Police What Happened

At the station, Nicole told police what happened to the kids.

She said in May 2020, she and the kids stayed in a room at the Regal Inn. Larry was sleeping one night when Joshlyn made her mad by misbehaving. She hit the girl, causing her to fall and hit her head on the floor. Nicole said she then put the girl inside the suitcase and inside the trunk of her car.

She said Larry died in June or July. She claims he went to sleep in the back of the car and “never woke up.” She said she put Larry’s body in a trash bag and placed it beside his sister’s body in the trunk.

Mom Says She Could Not Reach Sister

Dachelle claims that she could not reach her sister for more than a year. In March 2021 she finally got in touch with her. She said she and Nicole made arrangements at this time to get her kids back.

“That’s what I want. I want both daughters to be equally charged because both are guilty,” Johnson said.

Agree with grandma on that. If she could not reach her kids for over a year but did not find it concerning enough to call someone, that’s neglect.

Child abandonment charges could also apply unless an official arrangement had been made with the state.

Last Visit With Grandkids

Johnson last saw her grandkids Christmas 2019. She said they looked malnourished. She said that she felt the kids were in danger and reached out to child protective services and even called the mayor.

“I tried to get any help I could. I was waiting for my grandkids to come back home. But they never came back to me.”