A judge in Ohio sentenced a woman to life in prison for her role in the death of her girlfriend’s 8-year-old son. Lashanda Wilder called 911 in June 2024 to report her son Martonio Wilder as missing. Martonio was not missing at all; he had died. Martonio’s body was discovered in a plastic bag in his family’s attic.
Tragically, it appears that the young boy was subjected to horrific abuse by his mother and her girlfriend, Johnna Lowe. Now, prosecutors want justice for the victim.
According to the Daily Mail, Martonio died as a result of “deep neck compression.” He was also severely malnourished, weighing only 35 pounds, with bruises and cuts all over his face and body.
According to the Daily Mail, Martonio’s abuse caused him to misbehave at school, and he frequently stole food from other children due to hunger. According to ABC 6, prosecutors said Lowe had little to say after pleading guilty.
Prosecutors revealed disturbing details from the case. “Mulitple witnesses and some family members told detectives that Miss Wilder treated Martonio Wilder different than her other sons,” according to a prosecution witness.
“They discussed Martonio’s unusual punishments, such as holding a weighted ball, walking up and down the stairs naked, and restricting food. According to witnesses, Martonio was always hungry and stole food from other people’s homes, including his school.”
According to the Daily Mail, a judge sentenced Lowe to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 15 years for murder and gross abuse of a corpse.
Wilder’s family expressed their outrage to WBNS following Martonio’s death. Franklin County Children Services reportedly began working with the mother in 2016, after the baby tested positive for drugs at birth.
“LaShanda literally gave away her children at one point. Dropped them off, gave them up. Her mother and sister went to get the children out of Children Services,” cousin Siea Glover told the news outlet.
Glover also stated that Wilder had lost full custody of Martonio for four years. The family believed Wilder had things under control. Martonio’s great aunt, Rachelle Knight, told WBNS that a caseworker came to the home the day he died.
“I also blame the case worker because how are you going to come to the house? She has two other children, but Martonio is missing. LaShanda said, ‘Oh, he is in daycare.’ She said okay. My first thought was, “What is the name of the daycare?” Knight said.
The angry relative expressed her dissatisfaction with family services. “I blame the court system and everyone else for repeatedly returning them. “You all had a track record,” Knight told WBNS. “Your job is to ensure that she did that and followed through with it. But if she didn’t, you should have removed the babies from that house.”
Wilder will be in court on July 15.
