The 10-year-old boy whose former foster mother is accused of killing him reportedly went to a neighbor's house and asked her to adopt him just before he was found unconscious. This allegation comes from the probable cause affidavit for a warrant against the boy's adoptive mother who was formerly his foster mother, Jennifer Lee Wilson.
Wilson was arrested in Michigan on Saturday, July 13, 2024. She is accused of lying on top of 10-year-old Dakota Levi Stevens, resulting in his death in April. About 30 minutes before the Porter County Sheriff's Department responded to a call about the unconscious child at his home in Valparaiso, Indiana, Dakota had gone to a neighbor's house and said his foster parents hit him and wouldn't call his caseworker, reported NBC Chicago.
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Wilson told officers that Dakota was irritable that day, and she let him have five minutes to "cool off" in the backyard after a conflict related to completing his chores, according to the outlet.
But when she noticed that he was not actually outside the house, she got in her car to search for him. She found him at a neighbor's house, talking to a woman. Wilson said told him to get in the car.
Wilson said that Dakota wouldn't get in the car at first, but eventually, she was able to take him back home, where he allegedly refused to get out of the car, reported NBC Chicago.
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According to the affidavit, because Dakota was allegedly "acting up," Wilson said she laid down on his midsection when he was on the ground, reported CBS.
Wilson said "she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground, however her intention was to hold him," reported NBC Chicago.
Ring camera footage sent to sheriff's detectives shows that Dakota was crying and screaming while Wilson was on top of him. After some time, he stopped moving, at which point his foster mom asked, "Are you faking?"
Another video captured Wilson shouting "Dakota!" several times before asking another child to call 911. She also began CPR, reported CBS.
Dakota was taken to a children's hospital in South Bend, Indiana, where he died two days later.
The affidavit also noted that Wilson said she called Dakota's case worker while she was on top of him, and the caseworker reportedly tried to help Dakota calm down. The Ring camera clips in which Dakota was not moving lasted for almost seven minutes, reported CBS.
Dakota's cause of death was determined to be mechanical asphyxia, which is when physical force or an object stops a person from breathing. The affidavit noted that Dakota weighed 90 pounds. Wilson weighed 340 pounds.
Wilson was charged with reckless homicide in connection to Dakota's death.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
