COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- New details about the death of 8-year-old Martonio Wilder emerged Wednesday after the two women charged in his death appeared in court.
His mother, Lashanda Wilder, and her girlfriend, Johnna Lowe, are both facing murder charges as well as felonious assault, endangering children, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.
Their court hearings revealed new disturbing details about Martonio’s death and the alleged abuse leading up to it. Both women entered not guilty pleas to the judge.
It was emotional in the courtroom for Martonio's great aunt, Rachelle Knight, and his cousin, Siea Glover. They said the boy was filled with love and did not deserve this.
“But it is his favorite word: 'I love you.' It literally is,” Knight said.
In court Wednesday, the prosecution revealed that Lowe spoke with authorities the day after. They said she accused one of Wilders' other children of murdering Martonio, saying he hit him in the neck with a rock. Records show she later admitted to that being a lie.
State prosecutor Scott Sugarman also shared allegations of abuse that go back years before the death.
“Ms. Wilder admits to locking Martonio inside a small coat closet where he slept at night so he could not sneak out for food,” Sugarman said.
Sugarman said according to the coroner, Martonio’s cause of death was determined to be compression of the neck. They found hemorrhaging on his neck, and the Franklin County Coroner's office ruled his death a murder, but said another cause of his death was malnutrition.
“When I touched him, it was like it was not there. It was just bones,” Knight said.
In court Wednesday, Sugarman said both women also admitted to unusual punishments for Martonio. He claimed they admitted to beating Martonio with an extension cord two days before he was found in a trash bag in the attic.
Martonio's body was found the night of June 28, and 911 calls from that evening showed Wilder called police to say her son was missing. Police said when they got there she became uncooperative, and she and Lowe then fled with her two other sons, setting off an Amber Alert.
Records also revealed more details about each person’s alleged role in the death. They said Lowe said she held the trash bag as Martonio’s body was put inside, then placed him in a closet covered with clothes. Sugarman said the women came up with a plan to say Martonio ran away then waited to call police. The women also admitted to assaulting the boy other times in the past and choking him by the neck
“She hid this from us. There is a lot of stuff that we did not know,” Knight said.
Martonio’s great aunt and cousin said they did all they could to help the boy. They said social workers have been to their home many times and, according to the family, they always saw problems with Martonio, but not Wilder’s other children.
“I really, really, really blame -- I blame them, because they did the physical stuff -- but I blame the court system and everybody else that kept giving him back. You have a track record,” Knight said.
A third person was arrested Wednesday in the case with Lowe's mother, Mary Johnson, facing obstruction of justice charges. According to 911 calls, Johnson made a call to alert police that the kids were at her house five hours after the original call.
Martonio’s family said they were angry when looking at the women in court Wednesday.
“She failed him, didn't want to give him the love that he deserved." Glover said. "What you have to understand is there were a lot of people who tried to love him. And she literally she said, you know, this is like a whole new level of selfish."
His family said even though Martonio is gone, they are glad he finally found peace.
“He was so bright. And he loved everybody. He wanted to be loved. He'll give you a hug in a heartbeat,” Knight said.
A judge has set Wilder's bond at two million dollars. Lowe’s was set at 1.25 million dollars.
