Ranasia Knight was only two-years-old when police say she was killed, by her mother’s boyfriend.
Justin Bachman, Knight's uncle says the feeling is a hard thing to grasp. “No one knows how it feels to bury a two-year-old.”
Bachman says, he doesn’t know what to think. He just found out that police say his niece, was killed by Lester Johnson. Johnson was Knight's mother's boyfriend.
“He was a decent guy. He took care of his kids and did all that stuff." Bachman said about Johnson. "I don’t know. I never saw any of them hurt their kids, especially my sister.”
Early Saturday morning, Lancaster police responded to a house on the 500 block of East Ross Street for a two-year-old who had reportedly fallen.
When they got there, Knight was severely hurt and died a few hours later. An autopsy revealed she was beaten to death.
Johnson was arrested soon after and charged with criminal homicide. Court papers say the 30-year-old, also known as "Face", admitted to punching Ranasia in the head and then kicking her in the stomach while she was on the floor, but he never called for medical help to save her.
A neighbor who has known the family for a year says this doesn't surprise them. “Does this surprise you? No. It doesn’t surprise you? No. Why would you say that? I don’t want to talk anymore. I don’t want to get in trouble.”
Johnson lived in the house with Ranasia’s mom. They had four kids between them.
Johnson has a previous criminal record of assault and other violent crimes.
“I want justice done if he did this," Bachman said.
Johnson is currently sitting in the Lancaster Prison without bail. The other children have been removed from the house.
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Shortly after 3:00 a.m., Saturday, Officers with the Lancaster City Police were dispatched to an address in 500 Blk E. Ross Street for a report of an injured child.
The call was initally for a report of a child who was injured from a fall. Officers arrived and found the child in and out of conciousness and she was taken to Lancaster General Hospital.
The child, 2-year-old Ranasia Knight, did not survive her injuries and was pronounced dead on Saturday morning.
Officials noticed bruising on Knight's head and also her abnormally bloated abdomen.
Both the child's mother and mother's boyfriend were interviewed by Detectives, but were released as the investigation continued.
Following an autopsy on Monday, officials determined Knight died from multiple traumatic injuries and the death was ruled a homicide.
Police interviewed Knight's mother and her mother's boyfriend for a second time, and the boyfriend was arrested and charged with criminal homicide.
Lester L. Johnson, 30, was charged with Criminal homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. Johnson was arraigned and taken to Lancaster County Prison with no bail set.
According to police, Johnson both punched and kicked the child in her head and abdomen multiple times.
Police are still investigating.
Justin Bachman, Knight's uncle says the feeling is a hard thing to grasp. “No one knows how it feels to bury a two-year-old.”
Bachman says, he doesn’t know what to think. He just found out that police say his niece, was killed by Lester Johnson. Johnson was Knight's mother's boyfriend.
“He was a decent guy. He took care of his kids and did all that stuff." Bachman said about Johnson. "I don’t know. I never saw any of them hurt their kids, especially my sister.”
Early Saturday morning, Lancaster police responded to a house on the 500 block of East Ross Street for a two-year-old who had reportedly fallen.
When they got there, Knight was severely hurt and died a few hours later. An autopsy revealed she was beaten to death.
Johnson was arrested soon after and charged with criminal homicide. Court papers say the 30-year-old, also known as "Face", admitted to punching Ranasia in the head and then kicking her in the stomach while she was on the floor, but he never called for medical help to save her.
A neighbor who has known the family for a year says this doesn't surprise them. “Does this surprise you? No. It doesn’t surprise you? No. Why would you say that? I don’t want to talk anymore. I don’t want to get in trouble.”
Johnson lived in the house with Ranasia’s mom. They had four kids between them.
Johnson has a previous criminal record of assault and other violent crimes.
“I want justice done if he did this," Bachman said.
Johnson is currently sitting in the Lancaster Prison without bail. The other children have been removed from the house.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Shortly after 3:00 a.m., Saturday, Officers with the Lancaster City Police were dispatched to an address in 500 Blk E. Ross Street for a report of an injured child.
The call was initally for a report of a child who was injured from a fall. Officers arrived and found the child in and out of conciousness and she was taken to Lancaster General Hospital.
The child, 2-year-old Ranasia Knight, did not survive her injuries and was pronounced dead on Saturday morning.
Officials noticed bruising on Knight's head and also her abnormally bloated abdomen.
Both the child's mother and mother's boyfriend were interviewed by Detectives, but were released as the investigation continued.
Following an autopsy on Monday, officials determined Knight died from multiple traumatic injuries and the death was ruled a homicide.
Police interviewed Knight's mother and her mother's boyfriend for a second time, and the boyfriend was arrested and charged with criminal homicide.
Lester L. Johnson, 30, was charged with Criminal homicide, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. Johnson was arraigned and taken to Lancaster County Prison with no bail set.
According to police, Johnson both punched and kicked the child in her head and abdomen multiple times.
Police are still investigating.