SpongeBob made her do it

Tawas City, Michigan: During a preliminary hearing on Friday, February 4, Ryan Eberline, an investigator with Child Protective Services told the court of a conversation that he had with Justine M. Johnson who is on trial for murder after her 3-year-old daughter, Sutton Mosser's body was found in a trash bag in September, 2021.

Eberline told the court that he had interviewed Johnson, 22, on October 1, 2021.

During that interview, "She told me that she didn't remember the specifics of what happened at the time, of what happened to Sutton, that she was experiencing hallucinations due to heroin withdrawal and not sleeping for approximately two weeks," Eberline said.

"She was getting hallucinations from the TB that had instructed her to take her daughter's life or they would kill her."

"It was SpongeBob who was saying these things on the TV," Eberline explained. "If she didn't do what she did top her daughter they would kill her. She said she was afraid for her life and she had lost her mind."

Eberline told the court that Johnson had left her mother's apartment where she and Sutton had been living and ended up passing out in a graveyard. Once she woke up, she returned home and reportedly tried to kill herself before killing her daughter.

According to WJRT Johnson has been found competent to stand trial.

Iosco County Prosecutor Jim Bacarella explained that while she has been found competent, determining criminal responsibility may require a second evaluation should Johnson attempt to plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

Johnson's next court date is scheduled for February 28, 2022.