As we enter the holiday season, Tomiekia Johnson's 13-year-old daughter, Nevaeh Savannah Lemons, sent a heartfelt letter to Governor Gavin Newsom describing the impact of the 9-year absence of her mother. Tomiekia has been incarcerated since 2012 after defending herself from domestic violence. Tomiekia’s sentence is 50 years to Life. An excerpt from Nevaeh's letter is below:
Nevaeh’s letter and photos can be found on the Survived & Punished website. An excerpt of her letter is below:
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“My mother, Tomeikia Johnson, was a victim of Domestic Violence and is behind bars for something she didn't mean to do and because she was protecting herself. Most of my life has been a roller coaster. The pain and suffering I have been going through since I was 4 years old. The life of a child growing up not being with her mother, and not having a father. It is something we shouldn’t have in life. My life is like a living hell because of this, and to know my mother was beaten by my father hurts even worse. ...
Everything that we talk about is over the phone. She sends me cards and letters telling me how much she loves me. And telling me to leave a special spot for her on Christmas when she comes home. It's always there but she is never home to fill the spot. She was never here to see my Halloween outfits and wasn’t here when I turned 13. She isn’t here for my first teenage years when I am about to go to high school. I wanted her home for these years. I wanted her sitting right there next to me and telling me how much she loves me for no reason. To give me the love that I have been wanting for 9 years. ...
I dearly ask of you, Governor Newsom, to support her clemency so she can have her freedom back, and so she can come home and I can know what having a mother right next to me feels like.”
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Tomiekia is incarcerated at the Central California Women’s Facility in crowded living conditions that include multiple people occupying one cell, making social distancing impossible and escalating her risk of COVID-19 infection. Tomiekia’s family is prepared to warmly welcome Tomiekia home, including creating 14-day quarantine conditions for Tomiekia to secure everyone’s safety. To increase public health and safety, Survived & Punished urges Governor Newsom to support the release of incarcerated survivors of domestic and sexual violence, like Tomiekia, and to reunite Tomiekia with her daughter, Nevaeh, this holiday season.