Plea deal reached in death of 8-year-old Sophia Mason in Merced

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- A plea woody has been reached successful the lawsuit of the decease of a Merced County miss 4 years ago.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The video supra is from a erstwhile broadcast and volition beryllium updated.

Sophia Mason's mother, Samantha Johnson, entered a plea to voluntary manslaughter, 2 counts of kid maltreatment and 2 enhancements for causing large bodily wounded successful transportation with Sophia's death.

Johnson has been sentenced to 15 years and 8 months successful prison.

Charges of execution and kid maltreatment against Dhante Jackson, Johnson's boyfriend, were dropped successful October.

Jackson and Johnson had been surviving unneurotic erstwhile Sophia was reported missing successful February of 2022.

In mid-March of that year, Sophia's decomposed assemblage was recovered successful a bathtub astatine their Merced home.

Jackson spent clip successful situation connected an accessory to execution charge, but was released successful October 2025 aft those charges were dropped.