Dad Charged in Newborn's Death

A 20-year-old Largo man faces first-degree murder charges after police say he suffocated his newborn daughter by forcing her face into his chest and shoulder area until she stopped breathing.

Stephen Johnson was brought into custody Tuesday night following an investigation into the death of 8-week-old Leah Johnson. Leah, the Largo Police Department wrote in an email to media, died Friday.

Police were initially called to a home in the 500 block of 1st Avenue Northeast at 10:15 p.m. July 24 about an unresponsive infant. That evening, Stephen Johnson told police he woke up from a nap with the baby and found her face down on the couch. Leah was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead at 11:12 p.m. that evening, the email said.

Police interviewed Stephen Johnson again Tuesday evening and brought him into custody at that time.

Johnson was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on a first-degree murder charge. He remained there without bond Wednesday morning.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Jail