Hannah Johnson lived with her husband, John Thomas Johnson, and their four children until his death at age 52 in 2022. At that time, Hannah Johnson moved in with her mother-in-law near downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. This all has the makings of a lovely story about the importance of family and of caring for one another. But instead, this is a story of depraved actions. Hannah Johnson and her husband had a twisted relationship, and their children suffered horrific neglect and abuse. With their father dead and their mother now in prison, we can only hope these kids will have a chance at a better life.
The Cincinnati Inquirer reported that, according to court documents, John Johnson, a registered sex offender, was Hannah Johnson’s biological uncle. Her father reportedly allowed John Johnson to take her as his “common law wife.” She had her first child with him at just 18. Tragically, the children suffered terrible neglect.
Court documents detailed the children’s inability to eat, talk, walk, or use the bathroom. At ages 4, 7, and 7, three of the children still used diapers. They suffered from severe malnutrition. A fourth child, whose age is unknown, appeared less malnourished but had trouble walking.
Following John Johnson’s death, Hannah Johnson moved in with her husband’s 72-year-old mother. In June 2023, a neighbor called about an odor at the property. Police didn’t do anything at the time. Hannah Johnson then took three of her children to her mother, Donna Canler, in Kentucky. The pair had an estranged relationship, and Canler knew nothing about the children at the time. Hannah Johnson left the children with her mother.
Canler reportedly said the 7-year-old girl was extremely emaciated and didn’t know how to feed herself. “It was like her skin had melted to her bones — she had no fat on her,” Canler said. “She could barely walk.”
She added that all the children had problems caring for themselves. “They don’t eat like they should because they weren’t fed as babies,” the grandmother added.
According to court documents, Hannah Johnson had no reasonable explanation for her children’s condition. She reportedly said they had not seen a doctor in years and never attended school. She pleaded guilty to child endangerment and kidnapping charges, and a judge sentenced her to 10 to 14 years in prison.
There is so much tragedy in this story. These children deserved better, but so did their mother. A sick adult preyed upon a teenage girl for sexual gratification. We will never understand how anyone can think that’s OK, particularly when it’s a member of your own family.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
