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  • The Columbus Dispatch

    'Where is my child?' Listen to 911 call from mom charged with killing son Martonio Wilder

    By Bethany Bruner, Columbus Dispatch,

    9 hours ago

    Shortly after noon on Friday, Lashanda Wilder called 911.

    "Please, can I get the police? My 8-year-old son ran away last night," Wilder tells the dispatcher.

    Six hours later, police discovered the body of her 8-year-old son Martonio in a trash bag inside another container in the attic of a home on the 1000 block of Olmstead Avenue.

    Columbus police released two 911 calls placed by Wilder on Friday. The 32-year-old has now been charged with murder in connection with Martonio's death. Wilder's girlfriend, 33-year-old Johnna Lowe, is charged with felony obstruction of justice.

    Both Lowe and Wilder are currently in the Franklin County jail.

    What did Lashanda Wilder say on her 911 calls?

    Wilder sounds distraught in her first 911 call. She said everyone in her house went to bed between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. the previous night and that they all just woke up about five minutes before she called, around noon the next day.

    Wilder said the "back door is wide open" and that Martonio had run away before.

    "Oh my God, where is my child?" Wilder said.

    She added, "He jumped out the window before. He said he hated me."

    Twenty-two minutes after the first 911 call, Wilder called 911 asking why police had not responded to her home. The dispatcher told Wilder that officers were sent to her but were responding to an unrelated high-priority call before they could get to her home.

    What happened when Columbus police arrived?

    Records provided by Columbus police show that officers searched Wilder's home for Martonio and noted that the back door did not appear to have been forced open.

    Officers also searched nearby parks and apartment complexes, looking for the 8-year-old boy.

    Police request a helicopter at 1:28 p.m. to do a flyover of the area to help in the search. About 15 minutes later, Franklin County Sheriff's office sent up drones.

    By 2:53 p.m., Columbus police were searching the area with a canine officer.

    Later, a cadaver dog joined the search. Police have previously said Wilder then became uncooperative and left the home with Lowe and two of Wilder's other children.

    Police released a flyer with information about Martonio, classifying him as a high-risk endangered missing child.

    At 4:24 p.m., Columbus police requested guard duty at Wilder's home, an indication they were seeking a search warrant and that no one was allowed to go in the home until that warrant was signed. Twenty-five minutes later, police noted that attempts to ping Wilder's phone were unsuccessful because it was off.

    Officers uncovrered Martonio's body about 6:30 p.m. that night. An autopsy revealed he died from "deep neck compressions."

    What else do police records show?

    Columbus police released several reports involving Lowe and Wilder on Tuesday.

    The reports show Wilder had accused Lowe in March of breaking a basement window at the home while coming to retrieve gifts. The pair were described as ex-girlfriends in the report.

    Additional reports show a history of domestic violence calls for fights and physical arguments between Lowe and Wilder, including in February and March 2024.

    There are also two reports of missing children: one from January 2023 and one from November. Neither involved Martonio.

    In January 2023, a 15-year-old ran away from the home but returned home about 90 minutes later. No police report was filed.

    In November, Wilder reported Martonio's older brother missing at 7:09 p.m. She said he had not been seen since got off the school bus about 3:40 p.m. that day. Police went to the home and spoke with neighbors, who said they saw the boy going to a nearby store around 6 p.m.

    Another neighbor returned the boy home about 8:30 p.m. saying he had been at her house most of the afternoon.

    Where are Lashanda Wilder's other children now?

    Franklin County Children Services said Monday they had been involved with Wilder and her children since 2022.

    A spokesperson said Martonio's brothers are in the care of Children Services, and the agency is working to find the "best temporary placement" for the boys.

    The spokesperson said Wilder received "a variety of services" through Children Services, including referral assistance and behavioral health support through Nationwide Children's Hospital.

    What happens next in the case?

    A grand jury will review the cases against Wilder and Lowe in the coming days to determine if enough probable cause exists to file an indictment.

    If the grand jury hands up an indictment, each woman will have an arraignment and bond hearing in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

    The Franklin County Coroner's office will finalize Martonio's autopsy report in the next several months.

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