Statesboro woman arrested in investigation into child’s death in 2020

Dorothy Deshay Johnson was arrested Tuesday in connection with the death of a 2-year-old child in June 2020. Statesboro Police officers responded to a residence on Best Street to assist a child who was not breathing. The child was transported to Augusta and later died. Reports from the SPD and medical examiner’s investigation were turned over to the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. This week, the circumstances of the child’s death were released to the
The Bulloch County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Johnson, charging her with murder, first-degree cruelty to children, and aggravated assault. She remains in the Bulloch County Jail awaiting further court action.

From the SPD:

On 6/14/20, SPD officers responded to a call of a 2-year-old child not breathing at a residence on Best Street in Statesboro. The child was later transported to an Augusta hospital but died shortly thereafter. Detectives began their investigation and conducted several interviews and obtained records regarding the child’s medical and family history.

A long period of work by the medical examiner began to determine the cause and manner of the child’s death. After an extensive investigation, the results were turned over to the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Attorney’s Office along with the SPD investigative files. On 6/3/24, the circumstances of the child’s death were presented to the Bulloch County Grand Jury, which returned an indictment against Dorothy Deshay Johnson (27, S. College St., Statesboro) for murder, first degree cruelty to children and aggravated assault. Johnson was arrested on 6/4/24 and taken to the Bulloch County Jail where she awaits further legal action.

Anyone with information about this case should contact Detective Chief Inspector Eric Short at 912-764-9911 or submit an anonymous tip to www.cityprotect.com/forms/statesboroga.gov/anonymous.