A pair of caregivers accused of murder in the horrific starving death of a 14-year-old special-needs girl in Northern California were tracked down and arrested in Washington state.
Megan Fredrick, 33, and Sherwood Johnson II, 37, both face charges of murder and child abuse causing death after the developmentally disabled teen was found unresponsive at home in Live Oak outside Yuba City in January 2025.
Due to the suspicious nature of the circumstances, investigators ruled her death a homicide with the cause determined to be starvation and neglect. Detectives determined that the girl needed round-the-clock care and required a feeding tube in order to receive nutrition.
The Sutter County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to The Post that Fredrick was the victim’s sister, but no other details were provided.
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“The death of a child is always tragic, and our hearts go out to the young victim in this case,” Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes said.
When arrest warrants were issued for Fredrick and Johnson II, both had moved out of state.
On Tuesday, the two arrived back in Sutter County, where they were being held on $750,000 bail, the sheriff’s office told The Post.
The Spokane County Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement & Narcotics (RAVEN) Task Force helped in the investigation.
“Our staff assigned to Live Oak handled this case with professionalism and compassion,” Sutter County Sheriff Sheriff Brandon Barnes said. “I am glad to see those responsible are in custody and will be held to answer on these charges.”
