COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Christmas Day in 2023, Columbus Division of Police officers were called to a home for a report of a domestic dispute, involving a woman who, six months later, would be charged in her son’s murder.
Police said LaShanda Wilder called 911 reporting her aunt, Rachelle Knight, had threatened her with a knife and gun. No weapons were found at the home and no witnesses backed up her account.
Knight told police the two had gotten into an argument over Christmas presents after LaShanda did not get gifts for two of her older children, including 8-year-old Martonio Wilder. She said LaShanda left with her 3-year-old son and called police, making up her story.
This incident happened about six months before LaShanda called police on June 28, reporting Martonio missing. Police discovered his body in her attic, and she and her girlfriend Johnna Lowe, were charged with murder.
In body camera video from the incident on Christmas Day, Knight shared harrowing concerns about Martonio and his siblings' safety if they were to go home with their mother.
“I’m not trying to keep her kids, but if you all feel that she is OK to go home, I am gonna tell you now, if she go home those babies is going to suffer, they going to suffer,” Knight said in the video. “I love my niece but she is a horrible parent. Just go to her home, go look at her house. She doesn’t even have freaking windows I mean no windows, the house is not even support. That is why I was trying to help, you cannot treat them babies that way.”
“They are gonna go home and be tortured because of this incident,” Knight said.
She offered to keep the children overnight but police officers said that because LaShanda had custody, they had to let them go with her.
“I know this is hard. I understand how you feel but at the end of the day, we are in a tough spot. She has got custody so we can't keep those kids away from her as long as she has custody,” an officer told Knight.
Meanwhile, the video shows officers responding to a hysterical LaShanda in the backyard.
She explained to police that her older children did not receive Christmas presents because of their behavior.
“They know why they didn’t get Christmas, they was crying, but oh well,” she said.
Officers told Knight they would be following up with LaShanda by knocking at her door to figure out what was going on with the children. They also recommended Knight call Franklin County Children Services.
A spokesperson for FCCS shared a statement:
“Our team continues to work closely with Columbus Police investigators and the County Prosecutor’s Office on the case. Because of that - and state child welfare privacy and confidentiality laws - we are not able to comment about the specifics of the case, including dates of visits, police activities, or whether information was shared with our agency.”
Columbus police did not respond to a request for comment when asked what action was taken following this incident.
FCCS asks anyone who suspects child abuse to call the Child Abuse Hotline at 614-229-7000.