3MO Arizona Baby Dies After Mom Performs Back Cracking Adjustment

[Sugar Cookie]

A Phoenix woman is facing murder and child abuse charges days after she allegedly intentionally cracked her infant daughter’s back earlier this year.

Police say that on March 11, 2024, officers responded to a report of possible child abuse at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

When they arrived, they learned that the infant’s mother, identified as Wanda Jean Johnson, 26, woke up to her 3-month-old daughter seizing in the bed beside her earlier that morning before arriving at the hospital.

Johnson reportedly asked her brother to search symptoms online and wrapped her in a blanket “believing her child was cold and went back to sleep.” Police say that Johnson said that the “seizure stopped” and did not call an ambulance. It happened again, and her roommate recorded the seizure on the phone. Johnson then took her child to Banner Estrella Hospital.

While at Banner, documents say, the child was determined to be in “critical condition” and was flown to Phoenix Children’s. Doctors and medical staff found that the infant had “a brain bleed and swelling of the brain,” as well as broken ribs and cuts to her liver, among other injuries.

She died on the morning of March 13, documents stated. During an initial interview with officers, Johnson denied causing the injuries. Later, during a follow-up interview, Johnson admitted that the day before the seizures began, she had performed a “back-cracking adjustment” on her infant daughter.

Court papers detailed that Johnson reportedly came to Phoenix PD for another interview, in which she demonstrated, on a doll, how she “cracked” her child’s back.

During that interview, police say she admitted she didn’t have any “chiropractic training” and was “probably reckless” in cracking her back. Arresting documents say that investigators asked if she was responsible for the injuries to her daughter, and she responded that was a “possibility” but that she didn’t do anything else to her and “did not mean to hurt her.”

Phoenix mother intentionally ‘cracked’ infant’s back before she died, police say

The child died in March 2024 but the investigation continued until this week, according to court papers.

www.azfamily.com

 

[notausername]

I, too, accidentally get brain damage when cracking my back. Oopsie!

(I would be dead long ago if that wereeven remotely possible)

 

[McDanel]

As if a 3 month old would need an adjustment

 

[BBBLUE77]

Throwing a bullshit flag on that play. But hey, at least she didn't blame the bathtub or that evil couch!

 

[BuffettGirl]

In what world is a healthy THREE MONTH OLD in need of chiropractic care? Rarely a newborn will be born with misaligned vertebras and then it MAY be necessary, but in 99.9999999999% of cases it's a NO! I smell deliberate abuse...

 

[runninfawn]

if a baby is diagnosed with misaligned vertebras at bith then it would be taken care medically and not with untrained parents at home.. and any untrained person "cracking" someone else's back is taking that person's well being in their own hands that is why chiropratic care and dr's recommendations for such exist...

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Johnson also told investigators she had learned to perform the ‘adjustment’ from her sister. Additionally, Johnson said this was the only time she had done this to the baby.

During police questioning, the mother admitted she didn’t have any ‘chiropractic training’ and was ‘probably reckless’ in cracking her 3 month old girl’s back.

Johnson’s sister was interviewed by investigators after the baby died. She denied seeing Johnson perform the ‘adjustment’ on the child during the March 10 visit, according to court documents.

The sister also denied teaching the technique to Johnson.

Wanda Johnson kills 3 month old after back cracking adjustment

Wanda Johnson, Phoenix, AZ mom charged with child abuse & murder after performing back cracking adjustment that led to death of 3 month old.

scallywagandvagabond.com

 

[hiitsme]

Pure evil. Look at her eyes and tell me otherwise.