Yonkers Couple Plead Guilty in Death of Their Child

Yonkers resident Clarence Thomas, 33, the father of an infant girl, pleaded guilty Monday to one felony count of second degree manslaughter in connection with the child’s 2013 death, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced.

In September of last year, the child’s mother, 33-year-old Bronx resident Kayan Johns, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the March 2013 death of six-month old Natalia Johns.

“These parents, the father by his reckless actions and the mother by her denial of any abuse, tragically led to the death of their six month old daughter,” said DiFiore in a prepared statement. “A parent’s primary job is the care and protection of their children and in this case their inability to do so led to this terrible outcome. Thus, it now becomes incumbent on society and the criminal justice system to make sure that they are held accountable.”

According to prosecutors:

On March 14, 2013 at approximately 6:00 am, Johns called 911 stating that her infant daughter had stopped breathing.

At the time medical personnel arrived at the house, the infant had no pulse. She was removed to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers and pronounced dead at 7:14 am.

The Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy that revealed numerous injuries consistent with both old and new trauma to the child’s head.

The father, Thomas, was questioned by Yonkers detectives, giving various accounts of how the child could have sustained the numerous injuries.

The mother had noticed various bruising and other injuries on the infant but did not report it to authorities or try to get medical attention.

Additionally, Johns continued to allow the defendant to be the primary caretaker of the deceased and her other children while she worked.

Johns was sentenced to county jail.

Thomas faces a maximum of 15 years in prison; sentencing will be on May 12.

Second Deputy District Attorney Patricia Murphy of the Superior Court Trial Division and Assistant District Attorney Mary Clark-DiRusso of the Special Prosecutions Division are prosecuting the case.

Photo 1: Clarence Thomas; Photo 2: Kayan Johns. Photo credit: Westchester County District Attorney’s office

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