Oklahoma police believe they have found the bodies of missing 7-year-old Aja Johnson and her stepfather Lester Hobbs, CBS News reported. The discovery was made on Monday when an anonymous 911 call led police to an abandoned vehicle in the woods, about 20 miles south of Oklahoma City. Family fears grew after Aja's mother, Tonya Hobbs, was found dead Jan. 24 inside Lester Hobbs' motor home in Geronimo. Pictures of the 7-year-old and her alleged abductor, along with his vehicle, were shown on news programs as part of an Amber Alert. Police were also offering a $20,000 reward as of February 1st, when the girl had been missing for 7 days.
According to CBS News, the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's office believes papers found inside Hobbs’ car are likely to be a suicide note. A cause of death has not been determined for either individual.
Even though the Amber Alert system has proven to work in recent years, it looks like the court system actually failed to stop this very violent person from being around a child. The Dallas News reported that Aja Johnson's mother and father each went to court to prevent Lester Hobbs from seeing the 7-year-old girl, his stepdaughter, but both attempts failed. The article goes on to say that Tonya Hobbs went as far as telling the court in August that she feared that her estranged husband would crush the girl’s skull with a hammer?! This is especially bothersome since Tonya Hobbs was found bludgeoned to death.
Unfortunately, it looks like the girl's mother is the one who ultimately allowed her to be in harm’s way. On the weekend that she was murdered, Tonya Hobbs told Aja’s father, J.J. Johnson, that she was taking the little girl to a birthday party. She ended up taking her to visit Lester Hobbs, and tragedy ensued.
Sources:
Crimesider. Aja Johnson Update: Grim Discovery of Two Bodies in Okla. Confirms Family's Worst Fears. March 30th, 2010.
The Dallas Morning News. Bodies found in Oklahoma may be those of man, stepdaughter. March 31st, 2010.
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