Astrology influencer accused in deaths of her partner, 8-month-old baby appeared fearful of eclipse
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
LOS ANGELES - The death of an infant and the injury of a young girl, both found on the 405 freeway earlier this week was tied to a murder-suicide investigation involving the children's mother, Danielle Johnson.
The horrific event that spanned three neighborhoods in LA County resulted in the death of three people, including Johnson's partner, her 8-month-old child and herself.
In the days leading up to the murders, Johnson took to social media, where she posted a slew of misinformation, antisemitic and conspiratorial rhetoric. Under the X handle @MysticxLipstick, Johnson retweeted posts about unproven theories regarding the origins of COVID-19, a video about Jews promoting pedophilia in the entertainment industry and apocalyptic speech concerning the recent solar eclipse, to her over 100,000 social media followers.
On Monday morning, the day of the recent total solar eclipse, Johnson's two children were found on the northbound side of the 405 Freeway in Westchester. According to officers, the 9-year-old girl held her infant sister in her lap, sitting in the passenger's seat of Johnson's car while they drove down the freeway early Monday morning.
(FOX 11)
"As the 9-year-old fell into the middle of the freeway, she injured herself and dropped the infant," said LAPD Lt. Guy Golan. "And then, in a race to get out of the freeway and not get hit by traffic, the 9-year-old managed to get to the shoulder successfully, but the infant was struck by traffic. And so the infant succumbed to her injuries in the middle of the freeway there."
Investigators confirmed Tuesday that the infant's death was connected to a murder in Woodland Hills and a fatal car crash in Redondo Beach.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Timeline of murder-suicide that ended in death of infant on the 405 Freeway
Reports indicate that a woman in her mid-30s fatally stabbed and killed her partner at The Montecito Apartment complex in Woodland Hills around 3:30 a.m. She then fled with the children in a black Porsche.
The stabbing victim was identified as 29-year-old Jaelen Allen Chaney, Johnson's partner and the father of one of the girls.
After stabbing Chaney and leaving the two girls in the middle of the 405 Freeway, police said Johnson drove down to Redondo Beach. Her car crashed into a tree around 5 a.m. near a church on the Pacific Coast Highway near Vincent Street.
Authorities said Johnson died at the scene, and that her death is being treated as a suicide. Police said she was driving at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
The nine-year-old was brought to the hospital after suffering moderate injuries – miraculously the family's sole survivor.