Fayette woman convicted in child murder case set to be sentenced
Jazsmin Halliburton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Fayette woman found guilty of murder in the death of a child is set to be sentenced Monday afternoon.
In January, Jennifer Johnson, 49, was found guilty of felony murder in the second degree and two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child in the April 2021 death of Hannah Kent.
Johnson will face sentencing at the Boone County Courthouse at 2:30 p.m. Johnson faces a minimum of 10 years in prison.
According to court documents, Hannah’s mother, Lanetta Hill, found the child about 8:30 a.m. unresponsive and cool to the touch after returning home and immediately noticed bruising. Hill took the infant to Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Testimony during the first two days of the trial detailed Hannah’s condition after being left in Johnson’s care. Police and medical witnesses described bruising and brain injuries consistent with recent trauma.
Johnson denied any knowledge of what had happened. Phone records, however, showed messages sent from her phone about drugs during hours she said she was asleep.
Investigators testified they found baby formula on Johnson’s clothing, and testing showed blood on the shirt belonged to Hannah.