Dakota Levi Stevens, a 10-year-old boy, died by what's believed to be a reckless homicide. Jennifer Wilson, Stevens' foster mother, was arrested for the crime in Berrien County, Michigan. Per the Indianapolis Star, Wilson faces up to six years in prison. Stevens was rushed to the hospital back in April after arguing with Wilson. The Department of Child Services had placed Stevens with Wilson only a month prior.
Wilson told the police Stevens had run away earlier in the day. She found him at a neighbor's house. When they got home, Wilson claimed Stevens started "acting up," throwing himself to the ground just outside Wilson's house. Wilson then sat on Stevens while she called his caseworker. Stevens screamed, then eventually stopped moving.
Wilson said to the police that she thought Stevens was faking it. However, when she rolled him over, his eyelids were reportedly pale. Wilson admitted to investigators she sat on Stevens for around five minutes. Stevens was 91 pounds, and Wilson was 340 pounds.
According to a court affidavit, Wilson looked "visibly distraught" when the police arrived. By then, Stevens wasn't breathing and had no pulse. Stevens was airlifted to a nearby medical facility, but he was taken off life support only two days later. The St. Joseph County Coroner's Office ruled Stevens' death as a homicide.
A Foster Mother Is Charged With Homicide After Sitting On Her 10-Year-Old Son
It was further ruled that Stevens died from mechanical asphyxia. Per the court affidavit, a 20-second clip from Ring video cameras showed Wilson lying across Stevens' neck and head area as the boy screamed. A subsequent clip shows Stevens still screaming while Wilson was on top of him, her right arm and elbow planted on the ground. Further video evidence shows Stevens fading as Wilson sits on him.
"Dakota!" Wilson is heard screaming several times when she notices Stevens' lack of movement. She later asked one of her other kids to call 911. "I was laying on him and he was acting bad," Wilson can be heard saying.
Reportedly, Wilson had three other adopted children in her house. Brian Heinemann, a spokesman for the Department of Child Services, confirmed Wilson's license is on hold, pending revocation.
