Shelby Johnson

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — A Sumner County judge has continued the case of Shelby Johnson, 26, of Oxford — suspected of murdering her 7-month-old daughter Jesslinn Hulett — to Nov. 29, in order to work around the birth of another child due on Nov. 1.

In a court hearing held today, Sumner County Judge Scott McQuin also ruled that Johnson, who posted bail on a $100,000 professional bond on Tuesday, will be required to wear a GPS monitoring device at all times instead of a electronic monitoring system set up by the courts. Her attorney argued successfully that a GPS device can track her every move just as well as any other device issued by the court.

Johnson appeared in court with her court-appointed attorney Chrystal Krier this afternoon, just two days after being released from the county jail. Johnson is being charged with two alternate counts of first degree murder, murder in the second degree, abuse of a child, and aggravated endangering a child under the age of 18  — all felonies. 

At the Thursday’s court hearing, Johnson, wearing a ragged gray shirt and pajama type pants, requested that she be allowed access to her former companion’s place so she could pick up her belongings – including her clothes. The attorney also asked if she could attend a college class for two six-hour days as part of her online computer course. The judge granted both of her requests.

Johnson is also restricted travel to three counties: Cowley, where she now lives in Arkansas City; Sedgwick, where her doctor resides; and Sumner.

Krier told the judge that Johnson needs at least three weeks from the birth of her child. She normally delivers early and believes Nov. 29 would give her enough time to face the court.

Johnson is accused of cruelly beating and shaking Jesslinn, causing great bodily harm with injuries consistent with blunt force trauma on April 1.  Johnson allegedly caused injuries including scalp contusions, internal bleeding, three bone fractures to her skull, swelling of her brain, bilateral retinal hemorrhages, and related head injuries consistent with blunt force trauma.

Johnson is also accused of not seeking immediate medical treatment when these injuries occurred, but instead going back to bed for about an hour until the baby was found not breathing by the child’s father Schuyler Hulett.

Jesslinn’s death was ruled a homicide in May.