Woman arrested and charged with reckless homicide of 10-year-old
ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- Official court documents have been released regarding the arrest of 49-year-old Valparaiso resident Jennifer Lee Wilson after 10-year-old Dakota Stevens died on April 27.
Authorities say they responded around 3:37 p.m. on April 25 to a residence on Falcon Way in Valparaiso, regarding an unconscious 10-year-old not breathing. On arrival, officers found a 10-year-old boy, later identified as Stevens, laying on the ground near driveway, while another person was administering CPR on him.
A responding officer stated they observed Stevens had bruising to his lower neck and chest area. Documents state chest compressions were administered until medics arrived. First responders found Stevens was unconscious, not breathing, and had no pulse. Stevens was then taken to Northwest Health Porter for treatment.
He was taken off life support and pronounced dead just two days later.
Wilson told police on the scene that Stevens was her son who had just run away from the house and that she had found him at a neighbor's house before bringing him back to her residence.
Wilson says Stevens was still "acting up" when they got back and threw himself on ground.
Wilson said she then laid on his midsection and called his caseworker. During the call, Stevens stopped moving and Wilson thought he was faking to get her off of him.
Wilson told police she laid on him for about five minutes.
When officers spoke with the neighbor that took Stevens in, they stated the boy ran to their house about 30 minutes prior to emergency vehicles arriving and asked the neighbor to adopt him because his parents hit him and wouldn't let him call his caseworker.
Another officer went to Northwest Porter Health to take photographs and collect evidence. The officer observed Stevens being treated in the emergency room. A doctor there told the officer, based on the CT scan, Stevens had severe swelling in his brain and was going to be airlifted to a children's hospital in South Bend.
The doctor added the brain swelling appeared to be consistent with being deprived of oxygen for an extended time, according to documents.
Wilson is married and has three other children in the household who were originally foster children until Wilson and her husband adopted them.
Stevens was placed in her home on April 5, through Lake County Child Protective Services.
BACKGROUND:
Wilson told authorities she and her husband were ready to relinquish their foster license due to their kids getting older and wanting to travel. They initially said no, but agreed to taking in Stevens since they provided respite care for him two years ago.
Police say Wilson stated Stevens had verbal and physical aggression issues. She told police that day was the first time he ran away.
She told the authorities he woke up that morning agitated and later he was playing "Nerf guns" with one of the other kids. Wilson said she told them there's no running in the house and they needed to do their chores before they could go outside.
When Stevens refused to do his chores and went outside anyway, Wilson decided to give him five minutes to cool off before going after him.
That is when she realized Stevens wasn't in the backyard. She got in the car to look for him and found him at the neighbor's house.
When Stevens refused to get in Wilson's car, the neighbor suggested that the police be contacted. Wilson responded by telling the neighbor she didn't know what was going on and to mind her own business.
Eventually, Stevens got into the car and was taken back to the house.
Stevens refused to get out of the car, and Wilson says she can't remember if she tackled him, or if the two fell to the ground together during the struggle to get him out of the car.
While lying on the boy, Wilson Facetimed his caseworker, holding the phone in one hand and holding Stevens down and bracing herself with the other.
Wilson said the caseworker was trying to calm Stevens down and said Stevens was flailing and moving around underneath her.
When Stevens stopped moving, Wilson got off of him, stood up and asked him if he was faking.
She then rolled him over and his eyelids were pale. She began CPR and called 911 before a neighbor came to help.
Police say the ordeal was captured on the house's doorbell camera in 20 second clips that show Wilson sitting on Stevens until he stops moving.
Stevens' cause of death was mechanical asphyxia and manner of death was ruled a homicide.
An autopsy was completed on April 29.
Stevens weighed 91 pounds and was 58 inches tall. According to Indiana driver's License Records, Wilson's weight is listed as 340 pounds and a height of 4'11".
Wilson was arrested in Berrien County, Mich., and is charged with Reckless Homicide, a level five felony.