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Denise Johnson of Pittsburgh's North Side has been charged with criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, aggravated assault, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children, according to the police and court records.
The charges stem from an investigation by homicide detectives after her 3-year-old granddaughter Ayla Miller was found dead by other family members — including another child — in Johnson's apartment, as explained by police in court documents obtained by Daily Voice.
Ayla's Uncle called 911 to the apartment in the 200 block of East Ohio Street around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 1, as detailed in the affidavit of probable cause. Ayla was pronounced dead at 11:46 a.m.
Ayla had been living with her maternal grandmother for approximately a month and a half, which appears to be about the same age as the wounds on her young body.
**WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS MAY DISTURB SOME READERS**
EMS arrived at the home at 11:36 a.m. to find Ayla already cold, covered in bruises and scratches all over her body and face, with an infected wound on her right ankle, an injury to her neck, and a burn mark on her left ankle, "which is consistent with a cigarette burn," as stated in the affidavit. The 3-year-old was wearing tights and a t-shirt, lying on a mattress stained with her own blood.
Ayla had no record of medical issues or noted injuries when Ayla's mom, Regina, left her in her mom's care and that was supposedly still the case when the mother checked in with the grandma about a week before Ayla passed, according to the affidavit.
While surveying the scene, the investigators noted that part of a bedroom door was broken, there were holes knocked into the walls throughout the apartment, and the electricity had been shut off, according to the affidavit.
When questioned by the police, Johnson admitted to beating Ayla with a large wooden stick, along with other items around the apartment two days prior, but said she was "sorry" — another child in the home witnessed this assault, police wrote in the affidavit.
The day of Ayla's death she punched the girl in the face forcing her to fall backward and hit her head "really hard," as stated in the affidavit. Next, Johnson put the fully clothed girl into a bathtub, turned on the water, and left the room — returning to find her underwater yet still breathing. She then took the girl out of the tub, dried her off, moved the bleeding and damp child to the mattress, and left her there "for the few days until the death of Ayla Miller was discovered," police said.
Johnson supposedly claimed to have begun beating the young girl "because she wouldn't listen," as stated in the affidavit.
The family members who discovered Ayla spoke with Johnson before anyone arrived at the home and she told them she was too "scared" to call the police, according to the affidavit.
**WARNING THE ABOVE DETAILS COULD BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS**
Johnson has been held in the Allegheny County Jail after being denied bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled in Pittsburgh Municipal Court on Sept. 13.
Ayla's mom, Regina, wrote the following in part on Facebook after learning about her daughter's death:
"im so lost..I will never be able to hear my babies voice again..touch her or anything!! I'm scared to be around people because I KNOW I'm going to lose it..she was so full of life so innocent and she took her from me smh..I'm a WARRIOR though..I will live for you Ayla babygirl im so sorry"
A balloon release in Ayla's memory is scheduled at Myers Ridge Basketball at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Funeral details for Ayla have yet to be released. Her family is invited to share those details and information about Ayla's life by emailing jpikora@dailyvoice.com.
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