Ohio Woman Who Had 4 Children With Her Uncle Pleaded Guilty in 'Extreme' Child Abuse Case

A Cincinnati woman who bore four children with her uncle—and kept them in such "dire" conditions that they were emaciated, unable to walk or speak—has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including child endangerment and kidnapping.

Hannah Johnson, 28, was sentenced in January to 10 to 14 years in prison.

In June 2023, neighbors in Sedamsville, a Cincinnati suburb, reported a foul stench seeping from Johnson's home. Police arrived, but took no action. Soon after, Johnson loaded three of her children into a car, drove them across state lines to her mother's house in Kentucky, and left them behind, prosecutors said.

Assistant Prosecutor Elyse Deters later revealed the extent of their neglect—among them, a 7-year-old girl who weighed just 22 pounds.

"It was like her skin had melted to her bones − she had no fat on her," Johnson's mother, Donna Canler, who hadn't seen her daughter in eight years, recalled during the sentencing, according to local news.

Canler also noted that the child had never learned to use a spoon.

"They don't eat like they should because they weren't fed as babies," she explained.

The children were first taken to a hospital in Bowling Green, but their condition was so dire they had to be airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee. All are now recovering, though they still rely on gastronomy tubes for feeding, Canler said. "The 7-year-old," she added, "has gained nearly 30 pounds since being rescued."

Court documents describe the three children as emaciated, "in a state of extreme malnourishment" and "in dire need of medical intervention."

Meanwhile, a fourth child—a boy—was in slightly better condition and lived in a separate bedroom with the uncle's mother. Prosecutors believe he was treated differently because he resembled his father, according to court filings. The three malnourished children were unable to walk, nonverbal, and wearing diapers despite their ages.

During the investigation, Johnson told a social worker that her uncle had prevented her from feeding the children properly or seeking medical care. However, she could not explain why their conditions didn't improve after her uncle, John Johnson, died in 2022.

Beyond the abuse charges, Johnson was arrested twice in 2023 for driving while intoxicated, including an incident in Indiana just weeks before her sentencing. "She will be the first to admit she has various mental health concerns and has ... struggled with turning to alcohol as a coping tool," said her attorney, Chelsea Panzeca.

While in custody, Johnson allegedly never reached out to check on her children. Instead, she was caught on a jail call instructing a friend to delete photos of the kids from her phone so authorities wouldn't "figure out what she did to (them)," according to prosecutor Joe Deters.

Johnson's relationship with her uncle began in 2014, when they met at her brother's funeral. She later told a child welfare caseworker that their sexual relationship started that same year when she was 17. Though her mother reported it, authorities declined to intervene, citing Johnson's legal age, and her father allegedly allowed it.

In court, Johnson expressed regret, saying, "I am very remorseful. Under the circumstances, I wish I could have done something sooner."