A mother has issued a warning to others after her two-year-old daughter was killed after her father drank 30 beers and then got behind the wheel of a car.
The accident occured in March 2020, claiming the lives of 44-year-old Christopher Johnson and his 20-month-old daughter, Addison “Addi” Jo.
Johnson, fleeing from police while heavily intoxicated, drove his truck off an embankment and into a river.
Four years later, Addison’s mother and Johnson’s fiancée, Janelle Sharbutt Johnson, continues to channel her grief into advocacy, urging people to avoid drinking and driving, especially during festive occasions like New Year’s.
“Addison and her father went into the river due to bad choices made by alcoholism,” Janelle previously told KWCH 12 News.
The tragedy unfolded after Johnson, who had consumed 30 beers and was reportedly three times over the legal alcohol limit, picked up Addison from daycare.
Witnesses later saw him purchasing alcohol, prompting Janelle to call the Butler County Sheriff’s Office for a welfare check.
When deputies located Johnson in a field near Little Walnut River with Addison on his lap, there was no car seat in the truck, and authorities found clear signs of alcohol consumption.
When officers attempted to remove the child for her safety, Johnson resisted, fled in his vehicle, and drove off an embankment during a high-speed chase.
The truck landed upside down in the river.
Emergency crews took 90 minutes to retrieve Johnson’s body, which was trapped in the vehicle.
The rear window of the truck was shattered, and police believe Addison was ejected through it. Her body was not recovered until a month later, tragically discovered lodged in a beaver dam.
Janelle continues to grapple with the devastating loss of her daughter.
“There’s a lot of anger, there’s a lot of grief. I wonder why,” she told KSNW in a recent interview.
Janelle now speaks on behalf of the DUI Victims Center of Kansas, sharing her story to prevent similar tragedies.
“I speak because I want to hopefully keep one person from experiencing something like this,” she said.
On New Year’s Eve, she posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, sharing a picture of Addison with angel wings.
“Please don’t drink and drive,” she wrote. “If anyone needs a ride, please call me! Think about and remember Addi!”
Addison, affectionately remembered by family members as “the sweetest little girl who would always leave a smile on your face,” was a source of joy to those who knew her.
Her mother continues to keep her memory alive, designating March 11 as “Addi’s Day” and maintaining a memorial at the Little Walnut River bridge in Leon, south of El Dorado, where the accident occurred.
The site is adorned with pink balloons, ribbons, and teddy bears, and passing motorists honk their horns in tribute.
“As a mom, I go to Walmart, and I get triggered by the baby section, or a song, or even just seeing other people’s little kids because I’m never going to have the chance to have mine back,” Janelle shared.
