Champlin baby's death after head injuries ruled homicide

The death of a 4-month-old girl following severe head injuries suffered at her home in Champlin has been ruled a homicide.

Madyson L. Johnson suffered injuries to her skull and brain late in the afternoon on Feb. 16 before she died four days later at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, the Hennepin County medical examiners' office and police said Friday.

Madyson's injuries came from one or more blows to the head at her home in the 6300 block of 112th Place N., the medical examiner's office added.

An early evening call from inside the home brought police to the scene, said Police Chief David Kolb. No arrests have been made, and police have yet to say what led to Madyson's injuries or whether any suspects have been identified.

Also at the home at the time was one other child, Madyson's twin sister, Kolb said. The girl was removed from the home by police and placed in protective custody, Kolb added.

Records show that police were called to the home once previously since this family moved in, with that incident involving a "verbal dispute" between the couple in 2009, the chief said.

According to property records, the couple bought the home in 2008.

A neighbor, Alexis Westin, described the Johnsons as "super nice."

Westin, who moved in about two months ago, said the baby's father would come by and talk to her husband on occasion.

At one time, she said, he mentioned that he moved from Mississippi about 12 years ago.

"He's like a big teddy bear," Westin said. "He's very soft-spoken."

Around Father's Day, the Westins asked the Johnsons to a barbecue and also inquired about whether they had any children. The father said he had two but one had died recently.