Phoenix mother accused of causing injuries that killed her 3-month-old daughter

PHOENIX — A Phoenix mother was arrested Monday for allegedly causing the injuries that killed her infant daughter earlier this year, according to court records.

Wanda Johnson, 26, told police she performed chiropractic back adjustments on her 3-month-old girl prior to the child’s death, arrest documents said.

She was booked into jail on one count of first-degree murder and one count of child abuse. Her bond was set at $1 million.

An autopsy report ruled the child’s March death was a result of blunt force injuries of the head and torso due to an assault.

Why police think mother killed her infant daughter

The Phoenix Police Department first became aware of Johnson’s daughter on March 11. Staff at Phoenix Children’s called police to report possible child abuse.

The child had been airlifted to the hospital from Banner Estrella Hospital, where medical staff said the child was in critical condition.

Johnson told medical staff her daughter had two seizures prior to her hospital stay, court documents said.

Johnson allegedly said she wrapped her daughter in a blanket and went back to sleep after the first seizure. She then took her daughter to Banner Estrella after the second seizure woke her up, arrest documents said.

Doctors at Phoenix Children’s said the infant had a brain bleed, swelling of the brain, fractured ribs and various internal injuries, arrest documents said.

Two days later, Johnson’s daughter was pronounced dead.

Mother claimed chiropractic treatment may have played role in death

Johnson denied injuring her daughter. She told police she performed a back cracking adjustment on the child, arrest documents said.

Johnson allegedly used a doll to demonstrate the squeezing motions she used on her daughter.

“Wanda stood up and held the doll with both arms wrapped around the torso, squeezed to put some pressure on the spine and made a downward squeezing and shaking motion with the doll,” arrest documents said.

She allegedly told police she learned the technique from her sister. However, Johnson’s sister denied knowing anything about the back cracking adjustment during a police interview. In fact, the sister allegedly told police that sounded like shaking a baby.

Johnson went to the Phoenix Police Department for a follow-up interview on Monday. During this time, she allegedly admitted she didn’t have chiropractic training and said she was “probably reckless” in trying to adjust her baby’s back, arrest documents said.

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