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Stolen Baby's Young Mom Remembered As Woman Of Faith
McKeesport's Kia Johnson Found Dead In Wilkinsburg Apartment
POSTED: 4:51 pm EDT July 22,
2008
UPDATED: 6:59 pm EDT July 22,
2008
McKEESPORT, Pa. -- A pregnant 18-year-old found bound and slain in a Wilkinsburg apartment -- with her baby taken from her body -- is being remembered as a young, religious volunteer who was excited to become a mother and had been making plans for her career. Video: 
Watch Marcie Cipriani's Report "She just had a wonderful personality, a smile about her, sweet, loveable," said Capt. Sean Barton, of the Salvation Army in McKeesport, where Kia Johnson attended church and helped out in the soup kitchen.
Police said 38-year-old Andrea Curry-Demus tried to pass Johnson's baby off as her own at West Penn Hospital last week. Two days later, when Johnson's decomposing body was found in Curry-Demus' apartment on Ella Street, Curry-Demus was charged with homicide.
Video:Suspect's Former Defense Attorney Talks About Her History "She wanted to trust people," Barton said. "Unfortunately, in this world today, we can't trust everybody we meet." Surveillance video shows Johnson and Curry-Demus at the Allegheny County Jail last week. Police believe the two women met while visiting friends, and Johnson was then coaxed back to Curry-Demus' apartment, where the baby was cut out of her and she was killed.Though Johnson's family is struggling, they are grateful that the baby survived and is doing well."They want to see the baby, they want to hold the baby, they want to be with the baby," Barton said.Faculty and students are also trying to accept the loss at McKeesport Area High School, where Johnson was a student until withdrawing to provide for her son."It's just something that is unthinkable, and I can only imagine the pain her family is going through," school district Superintendent Dr. Michael Brinkos said.Family members said Johnson was planning to join the Air Force and focus her future on the baby boy who she never had a chance to meet."She was planning," Barton said. "She moved out, got her own apartment. She was getting baby clothes together."WTAE Channel 4 Action News tried to get a comment from Johnson's father, Eric, but he said he wasn't ready to talk about "my baby" yet.A memorial fund has been established through the PNC Bank at 560 Lysle Blvd. in McKeesport to help Kia Johnson's family.
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Watch Marcie Cipriani's Report "She just had a wonderful personality, a smile about her, sweet, loveable," said Capt. Sean Barton, of the Salvation Army in McKeesport, where Kia Johnson attended church and helped out in the soup kitchen.|
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Video:
Suspect's Former Defense Attorney Talks About Her History "She wanted to trust people," Barton said. "Unfortunately, in this world today, we can't trust everybody we meet." Surveillance video shows Johnson and Curry-Demus at the Allegheny County Jail last week. Police believe the two women met while visiting friends, and Johnson was then coaxed back to Curry-Demus' apartment, where the baby was cut out of her and she was killed.Though Johnson's family is struggling, they are grateful that the baby survived and is doing well."They want to see the baby, they want to hold the baby, they want to be with the baby," Barton said.Faculty and students are also trying to accept the loss at McKeesport Area High School, where Johnson was a student until withdrawing to provide for her son."It's just something that is unthinkable, and I can only imagine the pain her family is going through," school district Superintendent Dr. Michael Brinkos said.Family members said Johnson was planning to join the Air Force and focus her future on the baby boy who she never had a chance to meet."She was planning," Barton said. "She moved out, got her own apartment. She was getting baby clothes together."WTAE Channel 4 Action News tried to get a comment from Johnson's father, Eric, but he said he wasn't ready to talk about "my baby" yet.A memorial fund has been established through the PNC Bank at 560 Lysle Blvd. in McKeesport to help Kia Johnson's family. Related Links:
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