A foster mum has been sentenced for killing her 10 year old foster son by sitting on him after he pleaded with a neighbour to call emergency services to report being abused.
Jennifer Lee Wilson, from Northwest Indiana, was sentenced to six years in a state correctional facility by Senior Judge Michael Bergerson for her role in the death of young Dakota Stevens. As reported by LawandCrime, she is however set to serve the sixth year on probation.
Back in October, the 49-year-old foster had formally admitted to one count of reckless homicide. Porter County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call on the afternoon of April 25, 2024, about an unresponsive 10 year old.
Upon arrival, first responders found Dakota lying near the home’s driveway with someone performing CPR on him. Deputies reported that the boy was “not conscious, not breathing, and had no pulse” and also noted visible bruising on Dakota’s lower neck and chest, reports the Mirror US.
Dakota was rushed to hospital where he died two days later. An autopsy revealed his death was a homicide, caused by severe brain swelling and being “deprived of oxygen for an extended period of time.” He also had organ damage and haemorrhaging of the liver and lungs.
Wilson, who was at the scene, was described by deputies as “visibly distraught.” She told them that Dakota had been misbehaving all day, refusing to do his chores and leaving the house, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Wilson was caught on a Ring doorbell camera admitting she laid on Dakota’s midsection, calling his caseworker, and thinking he was faking when he stopped moving. “Wilson stated that she found him talking to another woman a few blocks away who told her that Dakota had just requested she call the police and she told the other woman to ‘mind her own business.’ She dragged Dakota away in her car to go back home after a struggle,” the court filing revealed.
Despite initially claiming uncertainty about how they ended up on the ground, footage showed Wilson “laid on (Dakota’s) midsection” near his head and neck. At 4 foot 10 inches and weighing just 90 pounds, Dakota was significantly smaller than Wilson, who stood at 4 foot 11 inches and weighed 340 pounds.
The probable cause affidavit detailed: “Wilson stated that she laid on his midsection and called his caseworker. Wilson stated that he eventually stopped moving and she thought he was faking. She advised that she laid on him for approximately five minutes.”
When she realised Dakota had lost consciousness, police said Wilson was heard panicking, screaming his name and exclaiming: “I was laying on him and he was acting bad.”
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