A young Florida mother confined her 2-year-old son to his booster seat for “approximately fifteen hours” as punishment for “acting out” now faces murder charges for felony neglect and abuse.
“The victim was unlawfully caged/restrained in a table booster seat for approximately fifteen hours before the defendant released him,” the criminal report affidavit states. “The defendant failed to supervise and provide the medical services needed to properly render aide to the victim.”
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) announced in a press release, that 24-year-old Rebecca Gussage-Johnston is charged with first degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse. Her attorney pleaded not guilty on her behalf.
Rebecca Louise Gussage-Johnston, 24, is pictured in a Hillsborough County booking photo taken on May 20, 2023. (Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office)
Prosecutors say on May 18, 2023, the young mother admitted to strapping the child to a kitchen table in a booster seat as punishment. Johnston says the baby was screaming and “acting out.”
They say the toddler was restrained for “approximately 15 hours.”
Authorities said that despite Gussage-Johnston having access to a working cell phone and her son being unresponsive, she did not seek medical assistance for nearly 24 hours. The next morning, the mother admitted that she found her child on the ground, still strapped to the booster seat, suffering seizures.
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It was not until a concerned family member called the HCSO to investigate the troubling incident.
According to the affidavit, officers arrived at a “white/tan 1992 mobile RV parked in a truck lot located in Thonotosassa, Florida.”
When Hillsborough County Sheriff’s officers arrived, they found the 2-year-old boy in a bassinette underneath a blanket. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office)
Once authorities arrived, they found the toddler in severe condition and in a bassinet underneath a blanket, the affidavit said.
“Upon arrival, Deputies encountered the victim to be deceased and suffering from trauma to [his] head, a wound to [his] right thigh, and bruising throughout [his] extremity area,” the affidavit said.
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He was covered in vomit and feces when he was found, the affidavit states.
Authorities said that the innocent toddler was “confined and strapped in the table booster” for hours.
“The victim remained confined and strapped in the table booster seat from May 18, 2023, at 20:00 hours until May 19, 2023 at either 1030 or 11:00 hours.”
In the following prosecution, Gussage-Johnston admitted to watching her son perish and eventually die in her arms.
“The defendant admitted to watching the victim suffer from seizures and shaking uncontrollably,” the affidavit continued. “The defendant described having watched the victim take their last breath and perish in her arms.”
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First degree murder charges were filed, adding to Gussage-Johnston’s previous neglect and child abuse charges, following the medical examiner’s consultation. The medical examiner ruled that the 2-year-old’s death was a homicide caused by severe neglect, the sheriff’s office said.
Police called the incident “hear-wrenching to witness,” and this instance of child abuse.
“The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has unrelenting fervor in our pursuit of justice for innocent children hurt by criminals,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “It is truly heart-wrenching to witness such senseless and preventable acts of violence targeting our youth. The tenacity of our detectives has allowed us to ensure this woman faces the consequences of her disgusting actions.”
“It is truly heart-wrenching to witness such senseless and preventable acts of violence targeting our youth.”
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HCSO urges anyone with additional information about this case to contact us at 813-247-8200.
