A 20-year-old New Castle, Pennsylvania, woman has been charged with allegedly poisoning her boyfriend's 18-month-old baby. acetone In 2023.
Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office authorities arrested Alecia Owens on Wednesday in connection with the death of Iris Jacoby-Alfafera, TribLive.com report Thursday.
image show Suspect:
Girlfriend 'poisoned' boyfriend's 18-month-old daughter after 'giving batteries, water beads and screws': Heartbroken mother posts tribute to her 'ray of sunshine'
Iris Rita Alfera died of acetone poisoning on June 29 in New Castle, Pennsylvania.
Alecia Linne… pic.twitter.com/ThIHQp89Rj— News News News (@NewsNew97351204) January 12, 2024
In a recent press release, the Attorney General's Office Said The suspect is charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and additional charges of “acts leading to the death of a months-old infant and other acts of abuse.” He has been indicted.
video footage show A handcuffed suspect exits a police vehicle, surrounded on both sides by officers.
The agency noted that bail was denied in view of the murder charges levied against the woman. The news release continued:
The medical examiner determined that the child's death was the result of lethal levels of acetone in his blood at the time of death and ruled it a homicide. Investigators learned that the infant had ingested numerous “water beads” along with button batteries and metal screws in the months before her death. Investigators discovered that Owens had researched the harm water beads and batteries could do to children online before the children ingested them.
A few months before the child's death, she swallowed some of the items and was taken to the hospital. At the time, she was in the custody of her father, named Bailey Jacoby, and Owens, TribLive.com reported.
Officials with Lawrence County Children and Youth Services were reportedly alerted to what happened. However, no one was charged in the case, and authorities appear to have taken no investigative action at the time.
The TribLive.com report continues, “According to the criminal complaint, first responders were called to Owens' home on Electric Street in New Castle shortly after 4 p.m. on June 25 for an unresponsive 1-year-old child. ” he said. The child was reportedly breathing, but his eyes were staring.
She died a few days later in the hospital. Her autopsy revealed that she died from organ failure due to acetone poisoning.
The Shogunate stated in a press release:
Further investigation revealed that in the months leading up to the incident, Owens had been conducting web searches on his cell phone related to the actions that ultimately led to the child's death. Between February and June, Owens repeatedly searched for information about household products that could cause serious harm or death to children, including water beads, batteries and nail polish. Searches included phrases such as “beauty products toxic to children” and “medications causing accidental poisoning deaths in children.”
The baby's mother, Emily Alfera, had previously obtained primary physical custody of the child and filed a petition for special relief on April 5.
However, Court of Common Pleas Judge David H. Acker could not limit the amount of time Jacoby could have custody of the baby, TribLive.com reported.
