DA: Mother charged in Johnstown infant's death
May 19—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Johnstown police charged a woman Thursday in relation to the April death of her infant child, Cambria County District Attorney Gregory Neugebauer said in a press release.
Charges against Veronica L. Lewis, 38, of Johnstown, include one count each of criminal homicide, felony aggravated assault and felony endangering the welfare of a child.
Lewis' 14-month-old daughter, Gianna Lewis-Rice, was found unresponsive on April 1 by medical crews who were called to a residence on Grove Avenue in Moxham. She was taken to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, where she died in the emergency room.
Four days later, the child's death was ruled a homicide — an autopsy showed she died from massive blood loss due to multiple blunt force trauma, Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees said at the time.
Neugebauer then said detectives had identified a person or persons of interest in the case.
"We are aware of who the caregivers were," he said then. "There is really no doubt in our minds what took a very young life way too soon."
Lewis was arraigned Thursday by District Judge Kevin J. Price, of Johnstown, and denied bail. She is currently housed in Cambria County Prison and awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. June 1 before Price, court documents show.
Johnstown police were assisted in the investigation by the Cambria County Coroner's Office and the Cambria County District Attorney's Office.
"This is a true heartbreaking tragedy that cut a young life way to short," Neugebauer said in Thursday's press release. "Law enforcement remains committed to ensuring that justice for young Gianna is attained. JPD and assisting entities deserve a lot of credit for effectively investigating this matter and building a prosecutable case."
