Mother accused of stabbing, and killing son in Prince George’s Co. denied bail

LANHAM, Md. (DC News Now) –A mother accused of killing her son in Prince George’s County will remain behind bars after a judge denied her bond.

Balloons, flowers, and candles sit right in front of the Lanham home where 21-year-old Cristos Johnson was killed. Friends and family are heartbroken they won’t ever be able to see Johnson’s smile again.

“We just sat in the car and we just talked about the future and what we want to do with my life,” said Kael Pridgen, a friend of Johnson.

Johnson’s funny, loving personality is unforgettable to his friends and family.

“We had a lot of good times together. He was a happy person no matter what he went through,” said Malaysia Nivens, a friend of Johnson.

3-year-old boy shot, killed, mother hurt in Prince George’s County

His friends never imagined it would be their last moment with him.

“I was just with him a couple of days before that. So I never would have thought that would have been the last time that I will get to see him,” said Nivens.

On January 25th Prince George’s County police responded to a home in Lanham for a stabbing. According to court documents after an argument, Johnson’s mother 49-year-old Querida Rivera went upstairs, grabbed a knife, and spent 10-15 minutes “thinking about the situation.” Documents further say she waved the knife in his face, an altercation occurred and she allegedly stabbed and killed him.

“I couldn’t even explain how I feel. It was just like mostly anger, then like sadness because he would have never like wanted to hurt his mother,” said Pridgen.

Rivera is facing first-degree murder and assault charges. She wasn’t charged until a week after the incident, and arrested nearly two weeks after the incident. Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office says the reason charges were filed a week after the original incident was due to the investigation.

On Thursday a judge denied Rivera’s bail, saying she was a danger to the public.

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“It took a long time but I mean, the time is here now she’s gone… I’m just glad that it happened that and we were able to do this for Cristo,” said Nivens.

Now loved ones gather at a memorial in his honor reminiscing on their special moments with Johnson.

“It wasn’t a dull moment with his jokes. Even the serious times with him, it was always just something that we’re going to remember about him,” Nivens added.

Rivera is expected to reappear in court in the coming weeks.

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