Parents of Malnourished Boy in Motel Charged with Child Abuse

One week after a 6-year-old was found alone and malnourished in a Parkville motel, the Baltimore County Police Department reports his parents have been charged.

A maintenance worker at the Welcome Inn in the 8700 block of Loch Bend Drive found the child, who appeared to be 2 years old, on Aug. 7 when investigating a call about bed bugs, police said.

At approximately 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 7, authorities responded to the motel for a report of an injured person, according to the police.

A week later, the child—who was on the floor of the kitchen when he was found that morning—remains at a local hospital, where he is suffering from severe malnutrition, police said Thursday.

His parents have been charged with first-degree child abuse, child neglect and related offenses, according to police.

Jessica Lynn Maranto, 33, and Brandon Joseph Johnson, 32, both of the 8700 block of Loch Bend Drive, are being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $200,000 bail, police said.

Investigators said they estimated the parents were gone between two and five hours. They were out looking for an alternate place to stay, according to police.

Photo Credit: Baltimore County Police Department. Jessica Lynn Maranto and Brandon Joseph Johnson are the parents of a boy who police say was severely malnourished and left alone at the Welcome Inn.