Mother Charged With Murder After Strapping 2-Year-Old To Booster Seat For 15 Hours

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A 2-year-old boy died after he was strapped to a chair as punishment, according to Florida officials. Now the mother is facing a murder charge. 

Hillsborough County deputies said they received a call about a toddler in distress on May 19 and found the 2-year-old with various injuries. The child was pronounced dead at the scene. The boy’s 24-year-old mother, Rebecca Louise Gussage-Johnston spoke with deputies and reportedly said the reason she strapped him to his booster seat was because that was his punishment for “acting out.” Gussage-Johnston put her son in the seat the evening of May 18 and left him there until about 11 a.m. the next day.

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Gussage-Johnston found the toddler flipped over in the chair “suffer[ing] from seizures and shaking uncontrollably,” the morning of May 19, according to the arrest report, WKRG reported. Authorities also said the mother didn’t call anyone for help despite her having a working phone. But a close family member who was concerned reached out to authorities to report the toddlers injuries. 

Gussage-Johnston was initially arrested May 19 and charged with aggravated child abuse resulting in great bodily harm and child neglect, the sheriff’s office said. After a medical examiner’s report 

revealed the toddler’s manner of death was homicide due to severe neglect, she was charged with first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse.

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Aggravated child abuse refers to the intentional and severe mistreatment of a child that results in serious bodily injury or harm. It typically involves acts that go beyond normal discipline or neglect and may involve actions such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect that leads to significant harm.

The laws surrounding aggravated child abuse vary depending on the jurisdiction, but in many places, it is considered a serious criminal offense. Penalties for aggravated child abuse can be severe and may include imprisonment, fines, probation, mandatory counseling or treatment, and the loss of parental rights. Some jurisdictions may also have specific statutes that address aggravated child abuse and define the elements of the offense.

Deputies said Gussage-Johnston remains in custody.

Featured Image: Getty Images

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