JACKSON – Authorities said a Jackson woman is behind bars following her arrest and indictment for the death of a personal home care resident. Eugenia Johnson, 21, of the 4000 block of North State Street in Jackson, was arrested last week by investigators with the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Attorney General’s Office.
Johnson’s arrest follows her indictment by a Hinds County grand jury on one count of culpable negligent manslaughter and one count of felony abuse of a vulnerable adult. Johnson is charged with the death of Janice Hollins, who died on Jan. 2, 2010.
The coroner’s report ruled the death a homicide and determined that Hollins died from complications due to hypothermia. At the time, Hollins was living in the personal care home in which Johnson was employed.
The indictment alleges that Johnson threw water on Hollins, then placed her “into an unheated bedroom with an opening in a broken window pane.” Authorities said the temperature was below freezing, and that Johnson forced Hollins to remain in the room without dry clothes or bed covers causing her to freeze to death.
The indictment also alleges that Johnson shoved Hollins to the ground and stomped her head with her foot causing open wounds to the victim’s head.
Johnson was charged with one count of felony abuse of a vulnerable adult, and she is waiting for an initial court appearance.
Listed as a co-defendant in the complaint is Stephanie Fields, the owner of the personal-care home where Hollins died. Officials have not arrested Fields, but court records show she has been indicted on 16 counts.
If convicted, Johnson faces up to 40 years on the manslaughter charge and up to 20 years on the abuse charge.
“In the average case, the maximum penalty for manslaughter is 20 years,” said Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. “However, the law allows us to seek an enhanced penalty where vulnerable adults are concerned, so this defendant faces 40 years on the manslaughter charges.”
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