Gladys Johnson: Milwaukee Mother, Unborn Child Killed in Homicide Amid House Fire
Gladys Johnson, a 22-year-old Milwaukee woman who was five months pregnant with a baby boy, was tragically found dead in her family home on Monday night, January 5, 2026. She was also the devoted mother of a 3-year-old daughter.
Johnson was discovered unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom of the residence near 26th and Hadley in the Amani neighborhood by her own mother, Michelle Johnson, just before 11:30 p.m., as firefighters responded to a house fire. Despite emergency efforts, Gladys was pronounced dead at the scene. The Milwaukee Medical Examiner's Office has ruled her death a homicide, though the exact cause remains under investigation.
Gladys Johnson Died in a Fire; Authorities Say She Was Killed
The fire, which investigators determined was intentionally set, adds a layer of horror to this devastating loss. It is unclear at this time whether the arson is directly connected to Johnson's death, but a 21-year-old man has been arrested on arson charges. Authorities noted that the suspect brandished a firearm before starting the fire.
Gladys was living with her mother, Michelle, at the time. In the wake of this unimaginable tragedy, Michelle Johnson shared her profound grief: "I found her, I didn’t want her to burn up and God had my back. He had my back and he had my back. But he still took her and her baby. But she’s in heaven with my mom, and she’s watching down on me."
Michelle now faces the heartbreaking task of raising Gladys's young daughter while mourning the loss of her own child and unborn grandson.
She spoke of the difficulty ahead: "It's going to be a hard time to tell her, a three-year-old, that your mother is not only sleeping, then she’s going to see her in a casket and it’s going to be something hard." She added, "But now I gotta stand up for her baby. I have to raise my grandchild, my child with my other daughter’s."
Milwaukee police and fire departments are collaborating on the investigation, examining both the criminal aspects of the homicide and the origins of the fire.
Gladys Johnson's death has robbed a young family of a loving mother and sibling, leaving her daughter without her mom and her expected son without a chance at life.
The community mourns this senseless loss as authorities continue their work to seek justice.
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