A 340-pound, 49-year-old foster mother has been sentenced to six years in prison for suffocating 10-year-old Dakota Levi Stevens to death.
In October, Jennifer Lee Wilson admitted to reckless homicide, confessing that she had fatally restrained her foster son in April last year by lying on his torso for approximately five minutes, causing fatal injuries.
The incident occurred in Liberty Township, Northwest Indiana, on 25th April. According to court documents, Dakota had been placed in Wilson's care by Lake County Child Protective Services on 5th April.
Police officials revealed that prior to the tragedy, Dakota had sought help from a neighbour, alleging that he was being abused by his foster parents.
The Tragic Final Hours of Dakota
The day the tragedy occurred, Dakota ran to a neighbour's house, telling the homeowner that his foster parents were abusive and had stopped him from contacting his caseworker. The child begged the neighbour to adopt him.
After the neighbour promised to call the police, Wilson arrived at the house and dragged Dakota back to their home.
Once back at their home in Liberty Township, Indiana, Wilson became infuriated when Dakota refused to follow her commands.
According to Wilson's statements to the police, Dakota had been 'acting up' after an argument over chores. She later claimed he became 'agitated' when she told him he could go outside to play after finishing his chores. When he stormed off, Wilson decided to track him down. After finding him with the neighbour, Wilson stated she forced Dakota into her car and took him back to the house, where she alleged he tried to run away again.
Wilson told investigators, 'I did not remember whether I tackled the boy or if we both fell to the ground. However, my intention was to hold him.' What happened next was deadly.
Wilson pinned Dakota down, laying on his midsection for several minutes. She video-chatted with Dakota's caseworker during this time and even spoke to her husband through a doorbell camera, all while her foster child was crying beneath her. The caseworker attempted to calm Dakota, but Wilson continued holding him down.
Wilson, who weighed 340 pounds, remained on top of Dakota for seven minutes, during which Dakota continued to cry out for help. 'All the while this beautiful boy was crying for his life – crying for his life – the defendant is just completely oblivious that she had just killed a foster child,' Judge Bergerson remarked during the sentencing.
After several minutes, Wilson claimed she became out of breath due to her weight and got off of Dakota. It was only then that she realised something was wrong.
'She then rolled [Dakota] over, and it appeared his eyelids were pale,' the court documents state. It was at this point that Wilson began CPR and called 911.
When deputies arrived at the house at around 3.37 PM, they found Dakota unresponsive, not breathing, and without a pulse. He had visible bruising on his lower neck and chest area.
Despite efforts to resuscitate him, Dakota was airlifted to South Bend Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that Dakota had suffered severe organ and soft tissue damage and that he had died from mechanical asphyxiation.
Courtroom Sentencing and Victim Impact
At the sentencing, Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ryan stated that Wilson's actions went beyond what was necessary to control a child, and the death was entirely preventable.
In his ruling, Judge Bergerson expressed disbelief at the callousness shown by Wilson. 'Obviously, she applied more force than was necessary, and that created the circumstances that led to his death,' he said.
Dakota's aunt, Ana Parrish-Parker, spoke in court about the devastating impact of his death on the family. She said that she had once cared for Dakota and that his death could have been avoided.
Parrish-Parker revealed how Dakota's mother lost custody due to drug addiction, and his father died from a drug-related infection. While she was able to adopt Dakota's younger sister, the state removed Dakota from her care after she refused to increase therapy. She also shared that the family was unaware of his passing until they received a Facebook message from one of the foster parents.
'Seeing your family suffer and knowing you can't do anything is very despairing,' Parrish-Parker told the court.
Wilson's Defense and Foster Care History
Wilson addressed Dakota's supporters at her sentencing, acknowledging they could never forgive her. 'I cannot ask you for forgiveness because I cannot say for certain I would forgive someone who was responsible for the death of my loved one,' she said. 'You lost him all over again. I am deeply saddened for the role, my role, in this horrible tragedy.'
Wilson's husband, Robert, explained she was holding Dakota down by his legs due to concerns he might harm himself, as he had previously. The couple had planned to relinquish their foster licence but agreed to take Dakota in after providing respite care two years prior.
Wilson, who had been a licensed foster parent since 2017, claimed that Dakota's behaviour had been challenging, and she feared he might harm himself. She also said that she was trying to control his aggression.
However, the video footage from her doorbell camera contradicted her statements, showing that Dakota was visibly crying and pleading for help as she held him down.
After the incident, Wilson's foster care licence was reportedly revoked on 30 June.
Dakota's obituary, which referred to him by his middle name, highlighted his love for the outdoors, particularly his bug-hunting adventures, where he caught insects and frogs. 'He loved to use his imagination,' his family wrote, 'and had a very creative imagination.'
