Family Places Headstone On Grave Of Slain Oklahoma Girl Aja Johnson

Darren Brown, News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Aja Johnson, the seven-year-old Oklahoma girl who was kidnapped and slain last year, received her headstone Thursday and the family said they finally have closure. 

About a dozen of Aja Johnson's friends and family gathered for the small ceremony. 

Aja was taken by her former stepfather, Lester Hobbs, last January. Both of their bodies were found in a car in the woods near Lake Thunderbird in March. Her funeral was soon after, but she was buried without a headstone.

"It's really been rough for our family," said J.J. Johnson, Aja's father. "I just want to thank everybody in Oklahoma who's been here with us."

Johnson also expressed his thanks for those who donated to the Aja Johnson Memorial Fund, which provided the headstone. 

The headstone features a horse emblem, a cheerleader and the name "Punky," which Johnson said was his nickname for his daughter.

"Y'know it seems like sometimes an eternity," Johnson said. "And other times it seems like it's been overnight. The worst thing a parent could do is have to bury their child. Because from that day forth you always walk around like I do. Every day I wonder how big she'd be today. I wonder what she would look like."