Hibbing Man Charged In 2-Year-Old's Death

VIRGINIA - This year, baby Caroline Shenze Marie Medicine-Chavez's family would have been taking her to Head Start.  Instead, they attended her alleged killer's arraignment, 26-year-old Russell Shannon Johnson."I wish it could have happened sooner, but I'm happy right now, I'm excited, I don't know what to say,” said Caroline’s father Cody Chavez. “I wanna cry, I wanna smile, mixed emotions right now." The case began more than two years ago when Virginia police arrived on scene to find the 2-year-old on an air mattress unresponsive. Authorities say she was being watched by Johnson, her mother’s boyfriend at the time. He claimed the baby slipped and hit her head, according to authorities. Caroline was rushed to a hospital and later died.An autopsy revealed from head trauma."As being her dad, I should have been there this whole time you know,” said Chavez. “Maybe none of this would have happened." Authorities say they had their suspicions of Johnson at the time.  But the investigation became too complex, time consuming and ran dry."We just needed to wait hopefully for something else to happen,” Virginia Police Department Chief Dennis Benz said. “Luckily that did."And just last month, witnesses came forward stating that Johnson shared with them that the day Caroline was hurt he was cranky, she was really winey, got into his face, he pushed her and she flew into a wall and hit her head. After further investigating, Johnson was arrested this week and charged with felony murder in the second degree."Whatever it takes, we're going to bring this case to justice for this child," said St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin. Johnson’s bail was set for $500,000.