US couple accused of neglect over son's death were visited by NZ police for 'welfare check'

Melanie Earley

Police in New Zealand visited an American couple wanted in the US for child neglect after the death of their adopted son.

Seven-year-old Seth Johnson died in a vomit-soaked bed after a weeks-long illness in 2015. Instead of taking him to the doctor, his parents administered “medical honey” and prayed over him, the Minnesota District Attorney alleged.

Seth’s parents, Timothy and Sarah Johnson moved to Auckland with their surviving children in 2016 and were then charged by US authorities with child neglect relating to Seth’s final days. Documents supplied to Stuff show New Zealand police were made aware of the charges at the start of 2017.

A police case summary report stated police would investigate US interest in getting the couple back to face trial.

“A request was made by US child protection for checks to be made around the welfare of the Johnsons’ children here in New Zealand,” it said.

Lindsay Anderson, child protection investigator for Hennepin County, said there was “great concern the other children could be in imminent harm or danger due to the neglect of the deceased”.

Despite a warrant for their arrest being issued, the couple remained in New Zealand until their visa was declined in 2022.

The couple had been living in east Auckland with their six children. Sarah Johnson spent time working as a children’s ministry director at Cession Community Church in Howick.

Police and Oranga Tamariki went to the home and spoke with Sarah Johnson, noting she was “cooperative” and the children were all enroled at a medical centre and she had approval from the Ministry of Education to homeschool them.

Sarah Johnson told officers she was “unaware” of the charges but her family had told her of news articles on it that week, according to the report.

The attending officer advised her to speak to Immigration NZ and seek legal advice and “no concerns” were held for the surviving children.

Interpol was updated on the welfare check, the report noted, but there were no further updates on file.

According to criminal complaints, Seth endured extensive trauma from an inflamed pancreas and possible infections until he died.

A statement of probable cause filed in Hennepin County said Seth was adopted by the Johnsons when he was 4, and the couple self-diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury.

His medical records were “limited” but when he saw a doctor at the age of 5 he was noted as “neurologically normal”.

According to the statement of probable cause, the couple told police officers they had "issues with going to doctors" and never sought medical attention for Seth as they worried he would be put on medication and believed their own research was better.

Doctors found Seth died of acute untreated pancreatitis and possible sepsis. He had sores on his body indicating long periods of immobility.

Plea agreement rejected

The couple were due to be sentenced in January, but reporting from The Star Tribune said this was postponed after a judge rejected plea agreements.

Timothy Johnson's deal with the County Attorney's Office called for him to serve no more jail time beyond his brief stint in custody last July and for probation lasting no more than two years.

Terms of Sarah Johnson's deal included any jail time be served in her current state of residence and be satisfied through community service. No more than two years' probation was also part of the agreement.

Judge Carolina Lamas did not explicitly say why the deals were rejected. The Johnson’s can now enter guilty pleas without the agreement or go to trial.