Woman arrested after disabled 17-year-old brought to hospital weighing 53 pounds

Police said 40-year-old Tonya Louise Johns has been charged with cruelty to the infirm.
Police said 40-year-old Tonya Louise Johns has been charged with cruelty to the infirm.(Shreveport Police Department)
Published: Mar. 14, 2024 at 1:57 PM EDT
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA/Gray News) – A 17-year-old who has a mental disability arrived at a Louisiana hospital on Sunday weighing just 53 pounds, police said.

According to Shreveport police, detectives responded to a call from the hospital about the teen who arrived “severely malnourished” and “very frail and thin.”

Police said 40-year-old Tonya Louise Johns has been charged with cruelty to the infirm.

Johns was arrested Monday and booked into the Shreveport City Jail. She was transferred to the Caddo Correctional Center on Tuesday before bonding out.

Authorities said this case underscores the importance of safeguarding the vulnerable.

Police did not release further information.