A Griffith woman is facing multiple battery and neglect charges.
Chasity Devon Braxton Johnson, 35, is facing six counts of domestic battery and three counts of neglect of a dependent — all felonies.
Around 9:07 a.m. on Aug. 12, a Griffith officer was parked in front of Park West Apartments when he saw a 13-year-old girl walking barefoot toward his car with blood dripping from her head, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The teen said Johnson assaulted her. The previous day Johnson had become intoxicated and when she woke up Johnson was drinking again, court records state. Johnson accused the teen of stealing her marijuana and Johnson started searching the entire apartment.
The pair started arguing, then Johnson started striking the girl with a belt with a mental tip, records state. Johnson struck her multiple times all over her body including her head. The teen had several welts, bruises, scratches and cuts, the affidavit states. The teen said she could not feel her finger, which was swelling. Johnson’s boyfriend walked into the scene but then departed, records state.
The teen was transported to Community Hospital for treatment and she was taken into custody by the Department of Child Services.
Police spoke to Johnson, who said she beat the teen because she stole from Johnson, court records state. She told police that she searched all over her apartment for her stolen marijuana, then grabbed a belt and struck the teen.
In a second interview with the victim, she told police that Johnson woke her up at 4 a.m. to search her room, accusing her of stealing her “weed,” the affidavit states. She said Johnson said “a lot of hurtful words” including “she wants to kill me.” The girl said she begged Johnson to stop and “everything went black for a second and she was dizzy and nauseous,” records state. Then the teen left the apartment and saw the officer.
The teen said she had been hit a couple of times before by Johnson, which tended to happen when Johnson was intoxicated, court records state. During those incidents, Johnson struck her in the head with the belt wrapped around her hand.
The teen had scars on her legs, back and arms that were in various stages of healing, the affidavit states.
