WENTZVILLE, Mo. (KMOV/Gray News - The family of BreAnna Johnson says she was four months pregnant with twins when she was killed by the father of her children.
Johnson turned 28 on October 4.
“16 weeks pregnant with twins,” Janette Giddens, BreAnna’s mother said. “There were photos that I shared with detectives of brutal beatings that she took from him.”
Wentzville police told KMOV they are looking to file additional charges against her Johnson’s boyfriend, 39-year-old Darryl Tyson Jr.
“She was shot five times in her back... He is a coward because you took her away from her children,” explained Dr. Cynthia Bennett, CEO of Journey Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse (JADASA).
Johnson sought out help from JADASA in the months leading up to her death.
“It was a dark day because she was a beautiful young girl. We just tried to help her. She just felt like he had a grip on her,” Bennett said.
24 hours before the homicide, police were called to her Wentzville home for a domestic dispute. According to court documents, Tyson physically assaulted Johnson by “throwing a phone, striking [her] in the head”.
“On October 31, my worst nightmare came true,” Giddens said. “It hurts me that I no longer will be able to wrap my arms around her, kiss her on the forehead, tell her I love her.”
Tyson remains in jail on charges associated with the assault on a $500,000 cash-only bail.
Her mother says murder charges are on the way to prosecute Tyson for the death of her daughter and two unborn twins. She hopes her daughter’s legacy serves as a life lesson.
“The very first red flag, don’t ignore it. Don’t think that it’s going to get better,” Giddens said. “Don’t ever think that it won’t happen to you. Don’t ever think that because you never know.”
JADASA and the family are now calling on the state to pass BreAnna’s law, which would create a registry for repeat domestic violence offenders.
Johnson is survived by her two sons 17-month-old Messiah, and 6-month-old Jeremiah.
“It’s a wake-up call because BreAnna is one too many,” Bennett said. “She should still be here today. She’s forever 28.”
“Her boys. My grandsons will never know, only with what we share with them, what an amazing loving, God-fearing mom they had,” Giddens said.
A GoFundMe has been set up for the two little boys who are forced to grow up without their mother.
JADASA offers services for victims of all kinds of abuse from domestic, sexual and stalking. For more information and resources call 314-269-0100 or visit www.jadasa.org.
Victims can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).