BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — An end to a gruesome story in Baltimore County.
Nicole Johnson, 36, was sentenced to 50 years in prison after the bodies of two children were found in her car.
The disturbing discovery was unveiled July 28, 2021.
It all began when officers assigned to the Essex precinct pulled over Johnson's vehicle on Eastern Boulevard near Wagner's Lane.
Officers found that the vehicle was uninsured, unregistered, and had a fake temporary West Virginia tag attached to it.
RELATED: Aunt charged after police discover bodies of two children during traffic stop in Essex
Initial plans were to tow the car and issue citations, but Johnson had made some disturbing comments when the officer told her of potential court dates.
"It don't matter, I won't be here in five days," Johnson reportedly told the officer. "Y'all going to see me on the news, y'all going to see on the news making my big debut."
Johnson was instructed to take anything she may need out of the car before it was towed.
That's when the officer reported he began to smell a strong odor, immediately believing something was dead in the car.
Johnson pulled out a plastic tote and trash bag from the trunk.
Police said the bag contained maggots and a suitcase. She tried explaining to officers that it was just dirty blankets from living out of her car, but they were not convinced and ordered her to open the suitcase.
It was then the first discovery was made, the decomposing body of 7-year-old Joshlyn Marie James Johnson.
After the child was found, Johnson made an unsuccessful attempt to flee.
Once she was caught, officers made the second horrific discovery: The body of Joshlyn's 5-year-old brother, Larry O'Neill, who was found stuffed inside the plastic tote bag.
An autopsy of Joshlyn's body revealed that she had been extremely malnourished and weighed only 18 pounds, Larry only weighed 21 pounds.
Nicole told police during an interview she was the kids' aunt and that her sister, Dachelle, had left them with her because she was unable to care for them.
After initially denying the children were in the trunk and that the smell could've been a rat in the trunk, she told officers what really happened.
In May 2020, she and the children stayed at the Regal Inn on Pulaski Highway.
One night, while Larry was sleeping, Nicole got angry and hit Joshlyn multiple times for acting up and allegedly stealing things that belonged to her.
Those hits caused Joshlyn to fall and hit her head on the floor.
Nicole then admitted to putting the child in the suitcase and keeping it in the car for several months.
She also claims Larry died two months prior, saying he went to sleep in the back of the car and never woke up. At the time of his death, Nicole recalled a cut to his leg but couldn't provide more information.
Vigil held for Joshlyn Marie James Johnson and Larry O'Neill
Police said at no time did Nicole call 911 or reach out to paramedics or law enforcement.
Investigators spoke with Dachelle and confirmed that she did, in fact, leave both children with Nicole when she moved to Maryland from Ohio in July 2019.
Arrangements had been made for Dachelle to take the kids back from Johnson, but she again never heard back.
Nicole's full sentence was life, suspend all but 50 years.
