# Indiana boy, 10, dead after 340-pound foster mom sits on him for 'acting bad'

Jennifer Lee Wilson was sentenced to six years in prison, with one year suspended to be served on probation.
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Published March 10, 2025 4:09am EDT

A 10-year-old  was crushed to death after his foster mother, who weighed 340 pounds, allegedly sat on him for several minutes because he was "acting bad."

Jennifer Lee Wilson, 48, was sentenced in January to six years in prison, with one year suspended to be served on probation, according to WMAQ. She was charged with reckless  in the death of Dakota Levi Stevens.

On April 25, police were called to a home in Valparaiso, Indiana, because the boy was not breathing and turned out to have no pulse, CBS News reported. An officer found bruising on the child's lower neck and chest. Officers attempted to resuscitate the boy, but he was transported to a hospital where he later died.



Wilson  that the boy had just run away from home, and she had found him at a neighbor's house and brought him back home. She said he was still "acting bad" and threw himself on the ground, telling her that she was leaving.

According to a court filing, Wilson told police that "when she attempted to stop him from leaving, she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground however her intention was to hold him."

She said she sat on his midsection for about five minutes. He eventually stopped moving, but she believed he was faking.



Wilson was charged with reckless homicide in the death of Dakota Levi Stevens. (iStock)

"The neighbor told officers that Dakota ran to her house before the medical emergency and asked her to adopt him because his parents hit him in the face. The neighbor said she did not observe any signs of injury to the boy," according to a court filing.

Wilson then came to take her son back, the neighbor said.

Dakota was 4'10" and 91 pounds, while Wilson was listed at 4'11" and 340 pounds.



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)

An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide.

The neighbor told officers that Dakota ran to her house before the medical emergency and asked her to adopt him because his parents hit him in the face. The neighbor said she did not observe any signs of injury to the boy.

Wilson then came to take her son back, the neighbor said.

Dakota was 4'10" and 91 pounds, while Wilson was listed at 4'11" and 340 pounds.

Wilson  that "when she attempted to stop him from leaving, she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground however her intention was to hold him."

She said she sat on his midsection for about five minutes. He eventually stopped moving, but she believed he was faking.



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)

Wilson was charged with reckless homicide in the death of Dakota Levi Stevens. (iStock)

The neighbor told officers that Dakota ran to her house before the medical emergency and asked her to adopt him because his parents hit him in the face. The neighbor said she did not observe any signs of injury to the boy.

Wilson then came to take her son back, the neighbor said.

Dakota was 4'10" and 91 pounds, while Wilson was listed at 4'11" and 340 pounds.

Wilson  that "when she attempted to stop him from leaving, she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground however her intention was to hold him."

She said she sat on his midsection for about five minutes. He eventually stopped moving, but she believed he was faking.



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)





An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)

The neighbor told officers that Dakota ran to her house before the medical emergency and asked her to adopt him because his parents hit him in the face. The neighbor said she did not observe any signs of injury to the boy, according to a court filing.

Wilson then came to take her son back, the neighbor said.

Dakota was 4'10" and 91 pounds, while Wilson was listed at 4'11" and 340 pounds.

Wilson  that "when she attempted to stop him from leaving, she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground however her intention was to hold him."

She said she sat on his midsection for about five minutes. He eventually stopped moving, but she believed he was faking.



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)





An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)

The neighbor told officers that Dakota ran to her house before the medical emergency and asked her to adopt him because his parents hit him in the face. The neighbor said she did not observe any signs of injury to the boy, according to a court filing.

Wilson then came to take her son back, the neighbor said.

Dakota was 4'10" and 91 pounds, while Wilson was listed at 4'11" and 340 pounds.

Wilson  that "when she attempted to stop him from leaving, she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground however her intention was to hold him."

She said she sat on his midsection for about five minutes. He eventually stopped moving, but she believed he was faking.



An autopsy revealed the cause of death as mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death as homicide. (iStock)

The neighbor told officers that Dakota ran to her house before the medical emergency and asked her to adopt him because his parents hit him in the face. The neighbor said she did not observe any signs of injury to the boy, according to a court filing.

Wilson then came to take her son back, the neighbor said.

Dakota was 4'10" and 91 pounds, while Wilson was listed at 4'11" and 340 pounds.

Wilson  that "when she attempted to stop him from leaving, she does not know if she tackled Dakota or they fell to the ground however her intention was to hold him."

She said she sat on his midsection for about five minutes. He eventually stopped moving, but she believed he was faking.
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