Statesboro Woman Arrested in 2020 Child Death Investigation

Dorothy Deshay Johnson was arrested Tuesday in relation to a 2 year old child’s death that occurred in June of 2020. Statesboro Police Department officers responded to a residence on Best Street to assist with a child not breathing. The child was transported to Augusta and later died. Reports from the investigation by SPD and Medical Examiners were turned over to the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit’s District Attorney’s Office. This week, the circumstances of the child’s death were presented to
the Bulloch County Grand Jury which returned a True Bill of Indictment against Johnson. She is charged with Felony Murder, Cruelty to Children- 1 st Degree, and Aggravated Assault. She remains at the Bulloch County Jail awaiting further judicial action. 

From SPD:

On 6/14/20, SPD officers responded to a 2 year old child not breathing at a residence on Best Street in Statesboro. The child was later transported to a hospital in Augusta but died shortly thereafter. Detectives began an investigation and conducted multiple interviews as well as obtaining documentation on the child’s medical and family history.

A long period of work by Medical Examiners began in determining the cause and manner of the child’s death. After an exhaustive examination, the findings were turned over to the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit’s District Attorney’s Office along with SPD’s investigative files. On 6/3/24 the circumstances of the child’s death were presented to the Bulloch County Grand Jury which returned a True Bill of Indictment against Dorothy Deshay Johnson (27, S. College St., Statesboro) on charges of Felony Murder, Cruelty to Children- 1st Degree, and Aggravated Assault. Johnson was arrested on 6/4/24 and transported to the Bulloch County Jail where she awaits further judicial action.

Anyone with information on this case should contact Senior Detective Eric Short at 912- 764-9911 or submit an anonymous tip to www.cityprotect.com/forms/statesboroga.gov/anonymous.