Police believe Los Angeles mother stabbed boyfriend, threw baby from moving car, killed herself in crash
A tragic incident unfolded in Los Angeles where a mother stabbed her boyfriend to death, threw her two young children out of a moving vehicle, and then took her own life by crashing into a tree, authorities believe.
The horrifying events occurred on Interstate 405 early on Monday morning, resulting in the death of an eight-month-old baby girl and injuries to her nine-year-old sister.
Police investigated a series of incidents to determine if they were linked, ultimately finding the children’s mother, Danielle Johnson, to be responsible.
The 34-year-old fatally stabbed her boyfriend, Jaelen Chaney, during an argument at around 3:40am local time, before driving off with her children. The children were then “expelled” from the moving vehicle on Interstate 405, according to authorities.
Investigators believe the children either fell or were thrown from the vehicle, as stated by the California Highway Patrol. The nine-year-old girl was taken to a hospital with moderate injuries.
Johnson then crashed her vehicle into a tree in Redondo Beach at a high speed, resulting in her own death. The collision took place at around 5am local time.
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The two young girls were found along the Instate 405. File pic: Reuters
Authorities later found Mr. Chaney, 29, dead at the Woodland Hills home that he shared with Johnson and her children. The property is located about 30 miles north of Redondo Beach, where Johnson’s crash occurred.
“We really don’t know why this incident escalated to such violence,” said Police Lt. Guy Golan, as reported by Sky News’ US partner, NBC Los Angeles.
The California Highway Patrol received reports of a medical emergency at 4:29am local time regarding the injured children on the freeway. Unfortunately, the baby succumbed to her injuries and was declared dead by the Culver City Fire Department at 4:44am.
The 405 Freeway serves as a vital link between the western part of the valley and the Los Angeles basin. The surviving child is now under the care of Child Protective Services, according to NBC Los Angeles.
