Fayette woman sentenced to life in prison for child’s death

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Fayette woman was sentenced Monday to life in prison in the April 2021 death of a child.

In January, Jennifer Johnson, 49, was found guilty of felony murder in the second degree and two counts of first-degree child endangerment in the April 2021 death of Hannah Kent.

Judge Brouck Jacobs sentenced Johnson to life in prison on the murder count and 15 years on each of the endangerment counts.

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.