Couple refused to fill girl's feeding tube and stopped giving her 'round-the-clock' care that was required to keep her alive: Police

A California mates is accused of neglecting and starving a developmentally disabled girl to decease who required "round-the-clock" attraction and was connected a feeding tube, constabulary say.

Megan Fredrick, 33, and Sherwood Johnson II, 37, some of Live Oak, were the superior caregivers for the "young victim" and — astatine immoderate constituent successful January 2025 — stopped supplying her with the nutrition and attraction she needed to survive, according to a Sutter County Sheriff's Office press release.

The girl, who was 14, "required round-the-clock attraction and was lone capable to person nutrition done a feeding tube," the sheriff's bureau says.

"Based connected the findings of detectives and the coroner report, the origin of decease was determined to beryllium starvation and neglect, with the mode of decease ruled a homicide," according to the SCSO property release.

Sheriff's deputies and aesculapian unit were dispatched to the 9000 artifact of Rachel Street successful Live Oak, wherever the mates lived, for a aesculapian assistance telephone successful January 2025 aft receiving a study astir the unfortunate being unresponsive.

"Lifesaving measures were attempted," the sheriff's bureau says. "However, the juvenile was yet pronounced deceased. Due to the suspicious quality of the circumstances, detectives responded to investigate."

During the people of the investigation, authorities recovered grounds that led to apprehension warrants being obtained for some Fredrick and Johnson. The mates allegedly fled to Washington authorities and were located with the assistance of the Spokane County Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement & Narcotics (RAVEN) Task Force, according to a press release sent retired by the RAVEN team.

"Johnson and Fredrick were some wanted connected a nationwide extradition," the merchandise says, noting however they were some surviving successful Washington's Liberty Lake country aft relocating from California.

"On April 16, 2026, RAVEN Task Force members conducting surveillance located Fredrick astatine a residence successful the 24000 artifact of E. Mission Avenue," the merchandise explains. "They besides located Johnson astatine a concern successful the 23200 artifact of E. Appleway Avenue."

Sutter County sheriff's detectives were successful transit to Spokane, Washington, connected Monday to transport Fredrick and Johnson backmost to California to look charges of execution and kid maltreatment causing death, according to SCSO officials.

"The decease of a kid is ever tragic, and our hearts spell retired to the young unfortunate successful this case," said Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Barnes successful a statement. "Our unit assigned to Live Oak handled this lawsuit with professionalism and compassion. I americium gladsome to spot those liable are successful custody and volition beryllium held to reply connected these charges."