Mom reports son missing, then body found in attic, OH cops say. Woman sentenced

A mom reported her 8-year-old son missing and suggested he may have run away, then his body was found in a trash bag in the attic, Ohio prosecutors said.

The mom was arrested alongside her girlfriend, 34-year-old Johnna Lowe, who has now pleaded guilty to murder and gross abuse of a corpse charges and was sentenced to life in prison, the office of the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney announced June 5.

McClatchy News reached out to Lowe’s attorney for comment June 6 but did not immediately receive a response.

The mother, 33-year-old Lashanda Wilder, is also facing charges of murder, endangering children, felonious assault, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse following the death of her 8-year-old son, Martonio Wilder, records show.

Lashanda Wilder called police June 28, 2024, to report her son missing, saying she had put him to bed the night before, then he disappeared, according to a police report.

She told officers “she feared he had run away,” prosecutors said.

Six hours later, officers with the Columbus Police Department said they found the boy’s body in a trash bag in the attic of the home, McClatchy News previously reported.

He had been starved and beaten, with medical staff determining his cause of death was asphyxia by neck compression, prosecutors said.

By the time Martonio’s body was found, the women had fled with two of Wilder’s other children, ages 3 and 9, McClatchy News previously reported. They were later found with Lowe’s mother, and the couple turned themselves in, prosecutors and police said.

Wilder, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, is expected to be in court for her next hearing July 15.

Lowe can become eligible for parole after 15 years, according to prosecutors.

This story was originally published June 6, 2025 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Mom reports son missing, then body found in attic, OH cops say. Woman sentenced."