Caregivers Arrested in Starvation Death of Special Needs Teen

Two caregivers have been arrested in Washington state after being charged with murder following the tragic starvation death of a 14-year-old girl with special needs in Northern California.

Megan Fredrick, 33, and Sherwood Johnson II, 37, face charges of murder and child abuse leading to death after the developmentally disabled teen was discovered unresponsive in January 2025 at her home in Live Oak.

Authorities categorized the death as a homicide, pinpointing starvation and neglect as the causes. Investigators noted that the girl needed 24-hour care and required a feeding tube for nutrition.

The Sutter County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that Fredrick is the sister of the victim but didn’t share additional details.

Sutter County Sheriff Brandon Burns expressed deep sadness over the incident, saying, “The death of a child is always tragic, and our hearts go out to the young victim in this case.”

After arrest warrants were issued, both Fredrick and Johnson had relocated out of state. However, they returned to Sutter County on Tuesday and are now being held on $750,000 bail.

The investigation was supported by the Spokane County Regional Anti-Violence Enforcement and Narcotics Enforcement (RAVEN) Task Force.

Burns commended the staff involved in the Live Oak case, stating, “We are pleased that those responsible are in custody and will be asked to answer to these charges.”