By Bre McAdam

Accused child killer has history of mental illness, alleged threats

Jan 6, 2014 | 8:16 PM

A Saskatoon woman accused of killing a five-year-old boy over the weekend appeared calm and collected during her first court appearance Monday morning.

Dressed in white clothing, Kellie Johnson, 35, seemed unfazed in the prisoner's box as she spoke to a Saskatoon Provincial Court judge about getting a lawyer.

Johnson is charged with the first-degree murder of Jonathan Vetter, who was found dead in a home in the 400 block of Avenue R South early Saturday morning. Later that day, neighbours told News Talk Radio that the boy is her son.

News Talk Radio has learned that Johnson went missing exactly a year ago from the date of the alleged murder. Police received a missing person report on Jan. 4, 2013, in which her family indicated that she had a history of mental illness. According to a police news release, “she told family members she may change her appearance to avoid being recognized.”

Johnson was found almost a month later on Jan. 28, 2013. No other details about her disappearance were provided.

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Court heard the woman is also before the courts on a peace bond, alleging she “put Myron Vetter in fear that she would cause personal injury to him by coming to Harris on two separate occasions with intent to kill him.” The incident allegedly took place on Dec. 31, 2012, just days before Johnson went missing. The complainant has the same last name as the victim.

Johnson will be back in court Tuesday morning.

news@panow.com

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