A Pennsylvania woman is accused of fatally poisoning her boyfriend’s 18-month-old daughter by feeding her batteries, screws, and nail polish remover, reports the NY Post.
Aleisia Owens, 20, was arrested and charged Thursday. The arrest came after an autopsy revealed that, Iris Rita Alfera had fatal levels of acetone in her blood. On June 25, 2023, Iris’ father, Bailey Jacoby, left her with Owens while he ran errands. Owens, who was living with Jacoby at the time, later called him and said something was wrong with Iris. Jacoby rushed back home only to find his baby unresponsive and immediately called 911 for help.
Iris was quickly taken to a local hospital for urgent medical attention. However, due to the severity of her condition, she was airlifted to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, approximately an hour away. Tragically, the young girl succumbed to organ failure four days later.
Owens initially told officers that the child had fallen off the bed and hit her head during a
“cramp-up”
episode. However, the autopsy conducted by the Attorney General’s Office revealed that Iris had ingested various items, including
“water beads,”
button-shaped batteries, and a metal screw, months before her untimely death. Disturbingly, Owens had also looked up
“household products that could cause a child serious harm or death.”
Iris resided with her mother, Emily Alfera, and her grandparents, while her father, Jacoby, had visitation rights. The father was not arrested in connection to his daughter’s death.
“There was nothing throughout the investigation to show that he had any knowledge or involvement about what happened to the baby. He was questioned multiple times and was cooperative.”
Aleisia Owens is now facing multiple charges, including homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and other offenses related to the child’s tragic death. She is currently held without bond at Lawrence County Jail.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
