Jennifer Wilson arrested for negligent slaying of Dakota Stevens in Berrien County, authorities say – NBC Chicago

The northwest Indiana woman charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of her 10-year-old son was arrested Saturday by sheriff’s deputies in southwest Michigan, authorities said.

Jennifer Lee Wilson, 48, was arrested in connection with the death of Dakota Levi Stevens, who died April 25 after a medical emergency, authorities said. Wilson was located and taken into custody by Berrien County Sheriff’s officers on North Thompson Street near East Buffalo Street in New Buffalo at about 8:18 p.m., the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Wilson’s arrest was made possible by a license plate camera that recognized her vehicle, authorities said a few days after the arrest warrant was issued.

Wilson, Dakota’s adoptive mother and former foster mother, said she lay on his stomach for several minutes during an incident earlier this year, according to court documents.

“Wilson stated that she did not know if she grabbed Dakota or if they fell to the ground as she tried to stop him from leaving, but her intention was to hold him down,” the court filing states.

While holding Dakota, Wilson held her phone in one hand and supported her with the other, authorities said. Wilson later asked Dakota, “Is that your bill?”, turned it over and it appeared his eyelids had turned pale, court documents say.

Wilson then began CPR and called 911.

Officers contacted a neighbor who said Dakota ran to her home about 30 minutes before emergency vehicles arrived. The neighbor stated Dakota asked her to adopt him because his parents punched him in the face and wouldn’t let him call his social worker, officers said. The neighbor said she didn’t notice any signs that Dakota was injured.

An autopsy determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxia and the manner of death to be homicide. Dakota was 4’6″ tall and weighed 90 pounds, records show. Wilson is 4’6″ tall and weighs 350 pounds, driver’s license records show.