Jennifer Johnson, a 49-year-old Missouri woman, has been sentenced to life in prison for the second-degree murder of 8-month-old Hannah Kent, whom she was babysitting. The incident occurred in April 2021 when Johnson was entrusted with the child for the first time by her friend and the baby's mother, Lanetta Hill. Prosecutors detailed how Johnson mishandled the infant and lied about the events leading to her death.
In April 2021, Lanetta Hill left her 8-month-old daughter Hannah Kent in the care of her friend Jennifer Johnson at Johnson's home in Boone County, Missouri. It was the first time Johnson had babysat for Hannah, and Hill believed her child would be safe.
That night, Hannah's sister observed Johnson burping the infant "aggressively." Police later found bruising and brain injuries on Hannah consistent with recent trauma. A pink and white onesie, which Hannah had been wearing, was discovered soaking wet and stashed in a kitchen pantry. When Hannah was taken to the hospital, she was only in a diaper. Johnson's clothing tested positive for baby formula and blood.
Around 2:15 a.m., Johnson claimed she fed Hannah a bottle, put her down for bed, and then fell asleep. However, phone records showed Johnson was awake and texting contacts throughout the night, seeking drugs. She initially denied recent drug use but admitted to methamphetamine several days prior.
At approximately 8:30 a.m., Hill returned home and found Hannah unresponsive and cold to the touch. The infant was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead. Johnson told police she was unaware of the death until informed around 11 a.m., but earlier phone calls suggested otherwise. In one call around 9:11 a.m., she told a friend, "the baby died." During other calls, she referenced "her head, her head" and said "she's gone."
Johnson was convicted of second-degree murder by a Boone County jury in January. On Monday, during sentencing, Hill delivered a victim impact statement: "I left my baby in her care believing she would be safe, loved and protected. Instead, my daughter was harmed and lost her life." She added, "The person I trusted to watch over my child became the reason I will never hold her again. That betrayal will stay with me forever."
Johnson received life imprisonment for the murder charge and an additional 30 years for first-degree child endangerment. Hill and Johnson had been friends for over a decade before the incident.