A community is in shock after the homicide of 22-year-old Gladys Johnson, who was five months pregnant, in the Amani neighborhood late Monday night, Jan 5.
Johnson, mother to a 3-year-old daughter, was found unresponsive inside a home near 26th and Hadley, and despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead. Tragically, her unborn son also did not survive.
Authorities say a 21-year-old man allegedly started the fire and brandished a firearm during the incident. He has been arrested for arson, and criminal charges are being reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. Police investigations are ongoing to determine the precise cause of Johnson’s death.
Family members have described the heartbreaking scene. Michelle Johnson, Gladys’s mother, recounted racing to the home only to find the suspect blocking the door and threatening her daughter Kayla. Smoke soon filled the home, and while she tried to save her granddaughter, she found her daughter unresponsive.
“I wouldn’t leave my daughter. Only thing I wanted was for my daughter not to burn,” Michelle Johnson said.
Gladys’s aunt, Josie Johnson-Smith, spoke of the family’s anguish: “I can’t explain it. I just want to ask him why. Why would you take her life like that, knowing she was carrying your baby?”
The devastating loss has reopened old wounds for Michelle Johnson, who lost two children in a fire over three decades ago.
In the wake of the tragedy, the family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to cover funeral expenses and support the grieving family. The community has rallied around them, sharing condolences and prayers for Gladys, her unborn child, and her 3-year-old daughter.
This shocking incident highlights domestic violence, gun violence, and the vulnerability of pregnant women, prompting renewed conversations about safety, mental health support, and legal accountability.
