Alameda County to pay $12M over death of 8-year-old Sophia Mason

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to pay $12 million to the grandmother of an 8-year-old girl who died after years of abuse and neglect by her mother, despite several complaints made to the child welfare system, whose workers had determined she was safe.

$12 million over Sophia Mason's death

This amount is tied for the second-highest legal settlement Alameda County has paid out in the last 25 years, according to a KTVU analysis of payouts by Alameda County since 2000.  

The money will be paid to Sylvia Johnson, the grandmother of Sophia Mason of Hayward, who died in 2022. 

As part of the settlement, a public bench in her name will be erected in Hayward and 25 recommendations to fix the county's Children and Family Services will be posted for the public to see and ensure their implementation.

What they're saying:

"Sophia Mason was an 8-year-old girl who deserved protection and a full life," Supervisor Lena Tam said in a statement. "We mourn with her grandmother and extended family for what could have been." 

The supervisors noted that some changes have already taken place, including new protocols for identifying physical abuse injuries, expanding the use of search warrants to secure medical exams in cases of suspected abuse and new staff training and documentation standards.

Death could have been prevented

Big picture view:

The Bay Area News Group first highlighted Sophia's situation in 2022, after her body was found in a bathtub in Merced and her mother and her boyfriend were later arrested on murder charges. Medical examiners and court documents revealed that Sophia had suffered prolonged physical abuse, severe malnutrition, and neglect prior to her death.

A cousin told KTVU in 2023 that Sophia's death could have been avoided, as relatives had reported to authorities that there were signs of trouble for years and that the little girl was in danger while in the care of her mother. 

Following her death, Sophia's family filed lawsuits against Alameda County for gross negligence, prompting independent investigations into the county's social services department.

A claim submitted to the county highlighted that Alameda County began to receive immediate child abuse reports when Sophia went to live with her mother in 2021, after living most of her early life with her grandmother. 

"Indeed, as early as January 2021, employees and agents of the County of Alameda knew or should have known that this abuse and severe neglect was ongoing, yet they failed to take necessary action to protect the minor's safety, health, welfare, growth and development," the claim alleged. "Rather, they knowingly allowed Sophia to remain in the home with her mother, who suffered from untreated mental illnesses and her mother's abusive boyfriend."

The claim noted that Alameda County received seven emergency hotline referrals regarding Sophia – including allegations that Sophia's mom hit and choked her – and "did not even bother investigating" five of those referrals.

A county report released by the board of supervisors noted there were "multiple red flags" that were either missed or not adequately addressed to lessen the risk of abuse to Sophia, including the fact that the Department of Children and Family Services didn't properly fill out standardized forms to evaluate mistreatment. 

Sophia's mother, boyfriend

Sophia's mother, Samantha Johnson, was sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison after reaching a plea agreement with prosecutors. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, two counts of child abuse, and two enhancements for causing great bodily injury. 

In 2025, prosecutors with the Merced County District Attorney's Office dropped the murder and child abuse charges against the mother's boyfriend, Dhante Jackson. Instead, Jackson pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of accessory to murder for failing to notify law enforcement or report Samantha Johnson. He was sentenced to three years in prison. Because he received credit for time served while held in custody awaiting trial since September 2022, Jackson was released from Merced County Jail immediately following the plea agreement.  

Second massive payout

The Board of Supervisors approved the $12-million agreement in October 2025, but East Bay Insiders noted that the dollar amount wasn't publicly released while the court determined the legal heir to Sophia’s estate.

This is the second massive payout the Alameda County Board of Supervisors has publicly issued in the last three months. 

In May, the supervisors approved paying the son of a Dublin couple killed by a sheriff's deputy $36 million – the highest payout in county history. 

Alameda County