On September 28, 2023, in Semmes, Alabama, 2-year-old Jacob Johnson and his 5-year-old sister Mia Johnson were found dead in their home by their father, Derek Johnson. Their mother, 37-year-old Nancy Johnson, drowned both children in the bathtub during a bitter divorce and custody battle, then hanged herself. Mia also had her throat slashed, reportedly because she fought back. Authorities ruled the deaths a murder-suicide. Despite extensive prior involvement from the Alabama Department of Human Resources, multiple domestic disturbance calls to the home, and a court-ordered protective supervision arrangement, the children were not removed from the home. A custody nesting arrangement had been ordered by a judge just days before but had not yet taken effect.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
The People article states: "Nancy Johnson drowned her son Jacob Johnson, 2, and daughter Mia Johnson, 5, in the bathroom." It further states: "The children's autopsies revealed that both died from drowning." The Huffpost article confirms: "Burch said Johnson's estranged husband...called police to report that he had found his family members dead" and "Johnson drowned her children before hanging herself." The Fox News Digital article adds: "Detectives later told him Nancy had drowned their children in a bathtub, which he noticed was filled with red-colored water."
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The People article states that Nancy Johnson "slashed her daughter's throat" and the Fox News Digital article reports Derek saying "she cut her throat then put her back under the water." Additionally, the children were forcibly drowned in a bathtub, which constitutes inflicted injury. The Huffpost article also notes "the older child also had lacerations around her neck."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Multiple sources explicitly describe this as a murder-suicide. The Huffpost article states it was "a 'horrific' murder-suicide." The People article reports: "Nancy Johnson drowned her son Jacob Johnson, 2, and daughter Mia Johnson, 5, in the bathroom and slashed her daughter's throat before she hanged herself." The Fox News Digital article confirms: "Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch said at a press conference the killings were a murder-suicide."
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Nancy Johnson, the biological mother, killed her two children. The People article states: "Nancy Johnson drowned her son Jacob Johnson, 2, and daughter Mia Johnson, 5, in the bathroom and slashed her daughter's throat before she hanged herself." The Huffpost article confirms: "Burch said Johnson drowned her children before hanging herself." Multiple sources confirm Nancy was the biological mother who committed the murder-suicide.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Multiple sources reference prior child welfare involvement. The Huffpost article states: "Another court document the outlet cited said the husband had claimed in June that a Department of Human Resources worker had expressed concerns about Johnson's mental health affecting the children's safety. 'The DHR worker informed the Defendant (the father) that they do not feel it is safe for the minor children to remain in the care and custody of the Plaintiff (the mother).'" The Fox10 article states that a judge "ordered that the Alabama Department of Human Resources be granted 'protective supervision'" of the children. These reports and involvement predate the fatal incident.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources reference domestic violence. The Fox10 article states: "Friend said his officers had answered six to eight domestic calls at the house in the last few months and that the two at various times called the police in each other." The same article notes a Utah judge "granted her request for a protection-from-abuse order against the husband." The Huffpost article reports: "Last week, Johnson's husband was arrested on domestic violence charges after he allegedly broke into the home and attacked Johnson in order to take the children."
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Multiple sources reference Nancy Johnson's mental health. The Huffpost article states: "Burch told reporters that Johnson had a history of psychiatric issues." The People article reports: "court records stated that Nancy and Derek Johnson were in the midst of a divorce and custody battle, with Nancy showing signs of mental health issues." Derek wrote that "Nancy was having 'mental issues'" and "was having an identity crisis." The Fox News Digital article quotes Derek: "He always knew that Nancy struggled with mental health issues." The Huffpost article also mentions a DHR worker's concern about "Johnson's mental health affecting the children's safety."
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The Huffpost article states: "Last week, Johnson's husband was arrested on domestic violence charges after he allegedly broke into the home and attacked Johnson in order to take the children, according to court documents." This arrest of Derek Johnson (a parent/caregiver) occurred prior to and is separate from the fatal incident on September 28, 2023.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable systemic and case-specific details appear across the sources. The Huffpost article reports that the day before the murders, Nancy Johnson "had left the neighbors with a purple suitcase that contained a note alluding to something happening to her, a small amount of cash, some clothing and her phone," and that "she had made comments to her neighbors right before her death that if she died, they should suspect her husband" — suggesting both premeditation and an attempt to frame her husband. The Fox10 article states that just days before the murders, a judge awarded joint custody and ordered DHR "protective supervision," but the custody arrangement was not yet in effect. The Huffpost article notes a DHR worker had previously informed the father "that they do not feel it is safe for the minor children to remain in the care and custody of the Plaintiff (the mother)," yet the children remained in her care. Despite 6-8 domestic calls to the home and multiple institutional touchpoints (DHR involvement, a protection-from-abuse order, and ongoing custody proceedings), the system failed to prevent the children's deaths.
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