An Ohio mother is accused of murdering her infant daughter, leaving family members grieving and bewildered, WXIX-TV reports.
Prosecutors allege that 37-year-old Rebecca King caused the death of the 5-month-old girl, Lily Johnson, on purpose earlier this month on October 8, according to WCPO-TV.
The girl’s death is believed to have been caused by “blunt impact,” and occurred at a home on Cathedral Avenue in Norwood, Ohio, WLWT-TV reports, citing court records.
Authorities have not released any further details about the nature of the death or what may have led to it.
Loved ones of the girl told WXIX-TV they have fond memories of her.
“She was getting to the point where she was starting to laugh and she, at one point, was starting to laugh and it was the cutest thing,” Ashley Brooks, Johnson’s aunt, told the television station.
Brooks said that King, her sister, told her about the girl’s death and that the story she gave did not make sense.
“I knew for sure at that point something was off,” Brooks told WXIX-TV, adding that she feels sick about what has happened.
“She not only took Lily away from me, she took her away from everybody, but she took her away from me and she took that relationship that we had away too and just completely destroyed it,” Brooks told the television station.
Authorities have detained King and are holding her in the Hamilton County Justice Center, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. She is expected to make a court appearance on Saturday.
The city of Norwood is a suburb of Cincinnati.
A GoFundMe account is raising money for Johnson’s memorial service.
For the latest true crime and justice news, subscribe to the ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ podcast. Listen to the latest episode below.
[Feature Photo: Lily Johnson/GoFundMe]
