A woman in Pennsylvania has been arrested and accused of fatally poisoning her boyfriend’s toddler by feeding her batteries, screws, and nail polish remover. Alessia Owens, a 20-year-old, was taken into custody after an autopsy revealed fatal levels of acetone in the child’s blood.
The New York Post reported the incident, stating that Owens had researched the harmful effects of these items on children before the alleged killing. Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the arrest, expressing their heartbreak over the deliberate harm caused to a helpless child.
The investigation indicated that Owens had meticulously researched the harmful effects of certain substances on children and then allegedly acted on her findings. The incident took place on June 25, 2023, when Owens was with Iris’ father, Bailey Jacoby.
He left the house, and Owens later called him, reporting something wrong with their daughter. Jacoby rushed home to find the baby unresponsive, and emergency services were called. Despite efforts to save her, the 18-month-old was airlifted to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh but succumbed to organ failure four days later.
Initially, Owens claimed that the child had hit her head after a fall, but the autopsy revealed that the toddler had ingested various harmful items months before her death, according to TribLive.
Owens had reportedly searched for information on household products that could cause harm or death to children, including water beads, batteries, and nail polish, between February and June 2023. Additionally, she looked up beauty products and medications that could lead to accidental poisoning deaths in children during the same period.