A Missouri woman is dead, and a family is mourning the unexpected loss. The woman, a mother of two, was pregnant with twins when she was shot and killed in her home in the middle of the night. Police are investigating her death and have arrested her partner. He faces a domestic violence charge.
According to people involved in the case, the woman tried to get away from her situation. Unfortunately, her fears kept her from leaving. Now, her two children are without a mother.
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Police released a statement about the killing.
BreAnna Johnson, 28, was found dead in her home in Wentzville, Missouri. According to a statement released by the Wentzville Police Department, the shooting “occurred during a domestic incident.”
Later, the police department shared that it had arrested 39-year-old Darryl Tyson Jr. and charged him with domestic violence in the second degree related to a prior incident leading to the shooting.
The boyfriend had a history of domestic violence.
While the police are investigating Johnson’s death, First Alert4 gave more background on Tyson’s previous domestic incidents. According to court documents the outlet obtained, the night before the shooting, Tyson threw a phone at Johnson. The phone hit her in the head.
Neighbors spoke with the outlet, saying that while the couple had only lived in the apartment for about a month, they saw them arguing on multiple occasions.
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While she wasn't initially identified, her family has since spoken out.
In the initial police statement, Johnson wasn’t named. However, a local domestic violence organization identified her to news outlets. Her mother, Janette Giddens, spoke with First Alert 4, saying she was “16 weeks pregnant with twins.”
Additionally, Giddens shared that she had photos that she “shared with detectives of brutal beatings” that Johnson had “taken” from her partner.
“On October 31, my worst nightmare came true,” she added.
Johnson tried to get help before her death.
Dr. Cynthia Bennett, CEO of Journey Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse, spoke to reporters, sharing that Johnson had contacted her agency about getting away from Tyson.
“She was reaching out for safety. She was afraid. At the time she called us in January and I believe she was seven months pregnant at the time. She was afraid for her life,” Bennett told FOX 2 Now.
“She was shot five times in her back,” she told First Alert 4. “He is a coward because you took her away from her children.” She added “It was a dark day because she was a beautiful young girl. We just tried to help her. She just felt like he had a grip on her.”
Her family wants to share her story to help others.
“It hurts me that I no longer will be able to wrap my arms around her, kiss her on the forehead, tell her I love her,” Giddens said. “Her boys. My grandsons will never know, only with what we share with them, what an amazing loving, God-fearing mom they had,” she said of Johnson’s two sons, ages 17 months and 6 months.
“The very first red flag, don’t ignore it. Don’t think that it’s going to get better,” she warned, adding, “Don’t ever think that it won’t happen to you. Don’t ever think that because you never know.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe to help cover costs.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, you can find help and support at DVIS.org, the National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or by contacting your local women’s shelter domesticshelters.org.
