A foster mother, Jennifer Lee Wilson, has been sentenced for the tragic death of her 10-year-old foster son, Dakota Stevens. On Friday, Senior Judge Michael Bergerson sentenced Wilson to six years in a state prison, though one year of her sentence was suspended, meaning she could spend the last year on probation. Wilson had previously pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in October 2024.
The incident happened in October when deputies arrived at Wilson’s home in Valparaiso, Indiana, after a call about an unresponsive child. They found Dakota lying near the driveway. Despite efforts to perform CPR, the boy was not breathing and had no pulse. He had bruises on his neck and chest. He was taken to the hospital, where he died two days later.
An autopsy revealed that Dakota died from severe brain swelling and lack of oxygen, as well as damage to his organs. Wilson told police that Dakota had been misbehaving all day, including refusing to do chores and running away from home. After finding him with another woman, she brought him back home. When Dakota refused to leave the car, they got into an argument, and Wilson said she may have tackled him or they fell. She later admitted to sitting on him for about five minutes. Footage from a doorbell camera showed her sitting on Dakota for several minutes while he struggled to get free, but eventually became motionless. Wilson thought he was pretending, but once she realized he was unconscious, she screamed for help.
Wilson’s actions have led to her being convicted for her role in Dakota’s death, and she will serve time for it.
