VALPARAISO, IN – An Indiana woman pled guilty to reckless homicide on Tuesday after admitting to causing the death of her 10-year-old foster son by sitting on him for several minutes. Jennifer Lee Wilson, 49, faces up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine following the death of Dakota Stevens, who sought help for alleged abuse just before the incident.

The grim events unfolded on April 25, 2024, when the Porter County Sheriff’s Office received an afternoon call about an unresponsive child at a residence on Falcon Way in Valparaiso, about 150 miles northwest of Indianapolis. First responders arrived to find Dakota lying on the driveway, unresponsive, and being administered CPR. The boy, displaying bruising on his neck and chest, was not breathing and lacked a pulse.

Efforts to revive Dakota continued at the scene and later at a hospital, but he succumbed two days later. An autopsy confirmed homicide by asphyxiation and severe swelling of the brain. Additionally, the young boy suffered from organ damage, including liver and lung hemorrhaging.

When officers questioned Wilson at the scene, she appeared distraught, admitting that she had been trying to restrain Dakota after he attempted to leave the house following a confrontation.

A neighbor revealed that Dakota had approached her earlier, asking her to call 911 due to the abuse he endured. Despite his plea, Wilson insisted the neighbor disregard his request, taking Dakota back to her vehicle and home.

The situation escalated when Dakota exited the car, claiming he was leaving. Wilson, according to a probable cause statement, was unsure if she tackled him or if they simply fell together but said she wanted to restrain him. Video footage from a nearby Ring doorbell camera showed Wilson sitting on Dakota, with clips capturing him initially struggling and then lying motionless as Wilson sat on him for approximately seven minutes.

When the boy lost consciousness, Wilson was recorded expressing alarm, acknowledging that she had been “laying on him” due to his behavior. Authorities noted the stark physical disparity between Wilson, who weighed 340 pounds and stood at 4 feet 11 inches, and Dakota, who was just 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 90 pounds.

Wilson’s sentencing is set for January 17, 2025, where she faces significant legal and personal consequences for her actions in the boy’s tragic death.