Iosco County, Mich. (WWJ) - A 22-year-old mother told Child Protective Services (CPS) that she was threatened and made to kill her 3-year-old daughter by voices in her TV while watching a cartoon, according to a police report obtained by CNN.
Justine Johnson from Oscoda Township faces possible life in prison without parole after being charged with the murder of her daughter, Sutton Mosser, who had just turned 3 years old a few days prior to her death on Sept. 17, 2021.
The Prosecutor's Office in Iosco County said Johnson pleaded not guilty to murder and first-degree child abuse, both charges which carry a life sentence.
"My office intends to proceed to trial, so a jury" can make a determination of guilt, Iosco County Prosecutor James A. Bacarella told CNN.
"This case is a horrible tragedy and I cannot imagine the level of grief felt by the family that loved this child."
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In a police report given to CNN by prosecutors, Johnson claims to have been watching SpongeBob SquarePants in her mother's home when she began to hear voices through the TV threatening to kill her unless she hurt her daughter.
According to CPS officials conducting an investigation, Johnson admitted to using cocaine and was suffering from heroin withdrawals on the day of the murder.
Oscoda Township Police officers were dispatched to the home of Johnson's mother in the early morning hours after one of Johnson's brothers called police and reported finding a foot sticking out of trash bag on the property.
Johnson's other brother -- a teenager -- had told police that he had last saw his sister in the bathroom around 6 p.m. that evening doing what looked like drugs before asking her where her daughter was.
Johnson reportedly told him to "mind your f***ing business."
The teen then left for a few hours and returned to an empty house. When his older brother returned from work, they both became concerned and began looking for Johnson. The older brother called 911 when the teen discovered a body stuffed in a black garbage bag.
Police were able to determine the body in the bag was that of Sutton's and reported that the girl had suffered multiple stab wounds. Johnson was found walking a railroad track shortly afterward and later told police she had gone back to her apartment and tried to kill herself.
Authorities searched Johnson's apartment and found blood on the floor and red-tinged water in a half-filled bathtub -- it remains uncertain if the blood is Sutton's.
Johnson was subjected to a CPS investigation after police notified the agency about the child's death. Johnson told investigators that she had "blacked out" and had no memory of hurting her daughter.
Johnson's mother, Alisa, told CNN, "My daughter loved her child" and "the people are portraying her as someone she is not."
Johnson appeared in court Feb. 4 where a judge determined probable cause for the case to proceed to trial. Johnson's next court appearance is scheduled for the end of the month, on Feb. 28.
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