Zada Johnson, a 10-year-old girl with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (a severe form of epilepsy) and significant physical and mental disabilities, died of suffocation when her tracheotomy tube became fully blocked sometime between 11 p.m. on April 9, 2022, and 7 a.m. on April 10, 2022, at her home in Lykens, Pennsylvania. Her mother, Kimberly Johnson, and her mother's boyfriend, Jacob Snyder, who served as her caregivers, failed to clear the blocked tube. Surveillance footage from the child's room contradicted the mother's claims that she responded to alarms and attempted to clear the tube, instead showing both caregivers casually walking downstairs nearly 30 minutes after alarms activated, with Snyder pausing to grab potato chips. The investigation also revealed a pattern of neglect: the couple had left the medically fragile child home alone or with an unqualified teenager at least 25 times, Snyder had lied about his medical certification, they admitted to ignoring alarms in the past, and the mother diverted the child's medical funds to buy marijuana. Both caregivers were charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
The news article explicitly states: "cell phone records and surveillance footage showed Johnson and Snyder left Zada Johnson at home either alone or under the care of a medically unqualified teenager at least 25 times." Additionally, surveillance footage showed neither caregiver responded urgently to medical alarms, and Snyder was seen "grabbing a bag of potato chips" while alarms were still sounding. The child could have been dead for hours before anyone attended to her.
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Multiple indicators of medical neglect are present. The news article states that "Johnson and Snyder, who were Zada Johnson's caregivers, did not clear the tube." Surveillance footage showed they "did not make an effort to clear the blockage in the tracheotomy tube" and showed "neither Kimberly Johnson nor Snyder showed any urgency in responding to the medical alarms." Snyder "admitted to lying to medical staff about his certification to take care of Zada Johnson's tracheotomy tube" and that they "had ignored alarms in the past unless they heard her daughter gurgling." Additionally, the mother "regularly spent funds for her daughter's medical needs on marijuana." The child was also left "either alone or under the care of a medically unqualified teenager at least 25 times."
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
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?
The news article identifies Kimberly A. Johnson as Zada's biological mother and one of her caregivers: "Kimberly A. Johnson, 39, and her boyfriend, Jacob K. Snyder, 34, were charged nearly two years after the death of Johnson's daughter, Zada." She was charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child for failing to clear the blocked tracheotomy tube.
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)?
The news article identifies Jacob K. Snyder as Kimberly Johnson's boyfriend who served as Zada's caregiver: "Kimberly A. Johnson, 39, and her boyfriend, Jacob K. Snyder, 34, were charged nearly two years after the death of Johnson's daughter, Zada." He was charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
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)
The news article describes Zada as having "physical and mental disabilities" and states she was "diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy." Her care needs were "similar to that of a newborn" at age 10, strongly indicating significant neurological/developmental disability.
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
The news article describes Zada as "a 10-year-old girl with physical and mental disabilities." Specific physical disabilities include dependence on "a tracheotomy tube, a feeding tub[e], and a pulse-oxygen machine" and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome causing "repeated seizures." Her "care requirements were similar to that of a newborn, with feedings and medications several times a day."
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)?
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?
The news article states: "Kimberly A. Johnson, 39, and her boyfriend, Jacob K. Snyder, 34, were charged" with "involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child in connection to the death of a 10-year-old girl." They were arraigned on April 10 with bail set at $10,000 and $100,000 respectively.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
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?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The news article states that the teenage son "told police Kimberly Johnson regularly spent funds for her daughter's medical needs on marijuana, which she shared with her underage children."
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the news article. Snyder admitted to "lying to medical staff about his certification to take care of Zada Johnson's tracheotomy tube." Surveillance footage directly contradicted Kimberly Johnson's account—she claimed she went to her daughter's room and attempted to clear the tube, but footage showed she did neither. The article also notes a significant bail disparity: $10,000 for the biological mother vs. $100,000 for the boyfriend, despite both being charged with the same offenses. Additionally, the mother diverted the child's medical funds to purchase marijuana which she then shared with her underage children, and the teenage son reported being the only family member who would "actually do anything" when it came to Zada's care.
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