Grandmother Admits To Hitting 3YO Girl Found Dead In Pittsburgh Home

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According to a criminal complaint, the 3-year-old, identified as Ayla Miller, was found dead by first responders when a family member called police. Police said she was cold to the touch and had obvious signs of trauma and other injuries.

In addition to the signs of trauma authorities noted on Ayla's body, authorities say they saw a part of a door broken on a bedroom floor and several noticeable holes in walls throughout the apartment on East Ohio Street in the Allegheny Center neighborhood.

Miller's grandmother, 56-year-old Denise Johnson, was arrested Tuesday. She is facing several charges, including homicide, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse and corruption of a minor.

According to the criminal complaint, Johnson admitted to police she hit her granddaughter and caused her to fall and hit her head, but when she didn’t wake up, Johnson was too scared to tell anyone for two days.

The complaint notes that Ayla's injuries were not consistent with normal injuries on a toddler from "everyday accidents." Other injuries included a cigarette burn on the child's ankle and an infected wound.

Police said in a call with her sister, Johnson told her she placed the child in the bed where she was found by first responders after another family member called the police. When contacted by a detective, the complaint says she admitted to hitting the child and continually apologized.

The child’s young cousin told police a different story. They said they saw Johnson, their grandmother, beating Miller with a wooden stick to the point that she couldn’t move, and Johnson instructed them to get her belt and then used it to continue the beating.

The child’s mother told police Miller was in her grandmother’s custody for the past month and a half while she was finding a new place to live.

Police: Grandmother admits to hitting toddler found dead in Pittsburgh home

Denise Johnson, 56, is facing a number of charges, including criminal homicide, aggravated assault and abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of 3-year-old Ayla Miller.

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Ayla Lyric-Ann Miller