FL - Rebecca Gussage-Johnston charged with murder after toddler dies from being strapped into chair for 15 hours - June 16, 2023

[Ebon]

Sheriff: Florida toddler died after being 'punished' for 'acting out'

The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the toddler’s cause of death was “a homicide due to severe neglect.”

www.wesh.com

Mom accused of murder after toddler strapped to booster seat for 15 hours

“This is just a case that’s just as heartbreaking as it is disturbing,” said Phil Martello with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

www.wfla.com

A Hillsborough County woman who was accused of neglecting a 2-year-old is now charged with murdering the toddler last month.

Rebecca Louise Gussage-Johnston, 24, was arrested on May 19 after the toddler died from their injuries at a home in the 10000 block of US Hwy. 301. She was originally charged with aggravated child abuse resulting in great bodily harm and child neglect

The alleged punishment involved the toddler being “confined to a chair for an extended period without receiving any care or attention” from Gussage-Johnston, according to HCSO. The woman is accused of waiting nearly 24 hours before calling for help, despite having a working phone.

 

[LadyL]

 

[LadyL]

her FB page:

Rebecca Johnston

Rebecca Johnston is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Rebecca Johnston and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.

www.facebook.com

 

[PromotedPawn]

How could she sleep knowing her child was in that condition?

 

[imstilla.grandma]

During the initial investigation, detectives said they discovered that the child had sustained injuries while in the care of Rebecca Louise Gussage-Johnston, 24. Gussage-Johnston admitted to punishing the child to punishment the day before for "acting out."

The child was confined to a chair for an extended period without receiving any care from Gussage-Johnston. Even though Gussage-Johnston had a working cell phone, she failed to seek medical assistance for nearly 24 hours. Finally, a concerned family member called 911, said detectives.

Gussage-Johnston was arrested on May 19 for aggravated child abuse resulting in great bodily harm and child neglect. After consultation with the medical examiner's office, the cause of death was determined to be homicide due to severe neglect.

On June 15, the sheriff's office charged Gussage-Johnston with an additional charged of first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse.

"These charges reflect the seriousness and gravity of this horrific crime. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office has unrelenting fervor in our pursuit of justice for innocent children hurt by criminals," said Sheriff Chad Chronister. "It is truly heart-wrenching to witness such senseless and preventable acts of violence targeting our youth. The tenacity of our detectives has allowed us to ensure this woman faces the consequences of her disgusting actions."

1st-Degree Murder Charges Filed Against Brandon Woman In Child's Death

The sheriff's office said the 2-year-old was confined to a chair for an extended period of time for "acting out."

patch.com

 

[Bostongirl]

What a disgusting human being. Ignoring and neglecting your child, tying them up, and whatever else she did. Her FB shows no pictures with a child that I can see. This poor baby had a horrific life at the hands of this monster. I pray for the baby that they have peace.

The sadness and rage I feel is overwhelming. We see a lot of these cases on WS. Too many.

MOO

 

[Erutan]

Sheriff: Florida toddler died after being 'punished' for 'acting out'

The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the toddler’s cause of death was “a homicide due to severe neglect.”

www.wesh.com

Mom accused of murder after toddler strapped to booster seat for 15 hours

“This is just a case that’s just as heartbreaking as it is disturbing,” said Phil Martello with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

www.wfla.com

A Hillsborough County woman who was accused of neglecting a 2-year-old is now charged with murdering the toddler last month.

Rebecca Louise Gussage-Johnston, 24, was arrested on May 19 after the toddler died from their injuries at a home in the 10000 block of US Hwy. 301. She was originally charged with aggravated child abuse resulting in great bodily harm and child neglect

The alleged punishment involved the toddler being “confined to a chair for an extended period without receiving any care or attention” from Gussage-Johnston, according to HCSO. The woman is accused of waiting nearly 24 hours before calling for help, despite having a working phone.

From your link :
Family confirmed Gussage-Johnston lived in an RV on a commercial property along US Highway 301 with her 2-year-old son Eli, her 8-month old daughter and their father.


Family told News Channel 8 that Eli had an 8-month old sister who is now in the care of her grandfather.
Emphasis mine.
Hope the 8 month old is in good hands with the grandfather.

Awful.
And ummm... what was the father doing this whole time ?
That's a small space for two littles and the parents !
The yard looked filthy.
Imo.

I wish people who do not want their children and mistreat them, would place them for adoption.
Someone would've loved this boy and the little baby girl as well !
I have friends who are adopted who have said there was never a day that went by, that they didn't feel loved and wanted !

Not even a photo to remember him by.

Rest in peace, Eli !

 

[Erutan]

If Eli was 'screaming and acting out', he may have been hungry or in pain !

 

[neesaki]

How could anyone be so cold and cruel. Her FB page makes me sick, but she’s not posing in that mugshot is she.

 

[PayrollNerd]

How could anyone be so cold and cruel. Her FB page makes me sick, but she’s not posing in that mugshot is she.

She’s just stupid enough to practice her “duck lips” pose in her mug shot. JMO.

 

[dalsglen]

her FB page:

Rebecca Johnston

Rebecca Johnston is on Facebook. Join Facebook to connect with Rebecca Johnston and others you may know. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected.

www.facebook.com

from her about me section

" I'm not afraid to get dirty and don't really take kindly to those whom bully. I am very protective over my friends and loved ones and will do anything to keep them out of harms way. I may be short yet I do have a short temper. Friends of mine call me Lil'bit cause I am very energetic and easy to get along with although I do have somewhat of anger issues."

No kidding.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

The report said Gussage-Johnston told deputies she watched her son take her his last breath and die in her arms. Gussage-Johnston did not call 911, despite having a working phone.

“This is just a case that’s just as heartbreaking as it is disturbing,” said Phil Martello, with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

“When they arrived, what they saw was horrific,” said Martello. “They saw a child strapped to a chair — signs of extreme neglect abuse — and despite their best efforts, they were not able to save this child.”

The report said the child had suffered head trauma, wounds and bruising, and that Gussage-Johnston admitted to leaving him there for more than 15 hours because he was acting out and screaming.

The next morning, the mother told authorities she found her son flipped over and watched him “suffer from seizures and shaking uncontrollably,” according to the report.

“[Hillsborough County] Sheriff [Chad] Chronister wants to make it clear that we will not tolerate anything like this happening to a child,” said Martello. “There’s never an excuse to do this to a 2-year-old child.”

“We know that every parent’s gotten frustrated, but we’ve kind of helped her with some tools and tips and tricks to help to deal with those frustrations so that child wouldn’t of had this awful ending,” said Nikki Daniels, with Champions for Children. The organization’s mission is child abuse prevention.

“For us, it’s about attachment and bonding, because if we can help parents attach and bond to their children, and then give them the tools, they need child abuse is much less likely to happen,” said Daniels.

Mom accused of murder after toddler strapped to booster seat for 15 hours

“This is just a case that’s just as heartbreaking as it is disturbing,” said Phil Martello with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

www.kxan.com

 

[tlcya]

from her about me section

" I'm not afraid to get dirty and don't really take kindly to those whom bully. I am very protective over my friends and loved ones and will do anything to keep them out of harms way. I may be short yet I do have a short temper. Friends of mine call me Lil'bit cause I am very energetic and easy to get along with although I do have somewhat of anger issues."

No kidding.

I actually believe her about the BBM portion. Bullies usually don't - there is only room for one and it is them. I think we can all agree she is accurate on the UBM portions.

May she bump into a full grown adult with bigger anger issues than hers so that she gains a more complete understanding of what it feels like to deal with a person who bullies and takes their anger issues out upon her.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Once at the scene, authorities’ worst fears were confirmed.

“Upon arrival, Deputies encountered the victim to be deceased and suffering from trauma to [his] head, a wound to [his] right thigh, and bruising throughout [his] extremity area,” the affidavit said. “Additionally, the victim was covered in dried vomit and fecal matter.”

Investigators interviewed Gussage-Johnston before she was in custody and that she “admitted to having strapped the victim in a table booster seat to enact a punishment for the victim acting out and screaming on May 18, 2023 at approximately 2000 hours,” documents said. “The victim remained confined and strapped in the table booster seat from May 18, 2023 at 2000 hours until May 19, 2023 at either 1030 or 1100 hours.”

“The defendant last observed the victim to be asleep in the table booster seat-sitting upright on May 19, 2023 around 0000 hours. The defendant discovered the victim in the morning on May 19, 2023 to be laying on the floor on right side, still restrained by the table booster seat, bút having flipped over and no longer upright.”

Deputies said Gussage-Johnston watched her son die rather than calling for help right away.

“The defendant admitted to watching the victim suffer from seizures and shaking uncontrollably,” the affidavit continued. “The defendant described to having watched the victim take their last breath and perish in her arms.”

Florida mom watched 2-year-old son die after 'maliciously punishing' him for 15 hours in booster seat: Sheriff

A mom who allegedly "unlawfully caged/restrained" her 2-year-old son in a booster seat for "approximately fifteen hours" as punishment now faces a capital felony case.

lawandcrime.com

*affidavit* *warrant*