10-Year-Old Boy Tragically Killed After Foster Mother Sat on Him as Punishment

Some stories are so devastating they leave a permanent scar on the heart — this is one of them. A 10-year-old boy, full of life and potential, died in a manner that is as horrifying as it is incomprehensible. His name was Dakota Levi Stevens, and he had only been in his new foster home for one month when his life was tragically and violently cut short.

What should have been a fresh start — a chance to find stability, love, and healing — ended with unimaginable pain and death. And the person responsible was the very woman tasked with keeping him safe.

A Tragic Day in Michigan

The incident took place in Berrien County, Michigan, where 48-year-old Jennifer Lee Wilson, Dakota’s foster mother, now faces the consequences of what prosecutors called a gross act of neglect and cruelty. On April 23, 2024, Dakota had reportedly run away from the home. He was found at a neighbor’s house later that day. He returned home visibly distressed, confused, and emotionally overwhelmed — as many children in the foster care system often are.

When Dakota began “acting out,” throwing himself on the floor and behaving erratically, Wilson made a decision that would ultimately end his life. She sat on him — all 340 pounds (about 154 kg) of her body weight — and remained seated on top of him for approximately five minutes.

The Chilling Details

She was reportedly on the phone with Dakota’s caseworker during the incident. At no point, according to court records, did she alert the caseworker to what she was doing, nor did she show any urgency about the child’s distress. Instead, as Dakota cried out in pain and fear, Wilson dismissed his cries. She allegedly asked him if he was “ready to get up” and then callously questioned him, “Are you faking?”

But the moment she rolled him over, it became horrifyingly clear that Dakota was not pretending. His eyelids had turned pale, a haunting indicator that something had gone terribly wrong.

A child living in the home called 911 immediately. Emergency medical responders arrived quickly and found Dakota unresponsive. He was airlifted to a hospital and placed on life support, but the damage was already done. Two days later, on April 25, 2024, Dakota was pronounced dead.

A Shocking Autopsy

The autopsy results were heartbreaking. Dakota had sustained massive internal injuries, including organ damage, extensive soft tissue trauma, and hemorrhaging in his liver and lungs. The official cause of death was mechanical asphyxia — a clinical term meaning he was quite literally crushed to death.

To make matters even more tragic, just 30 minutes before the 911 call, Dakota had reportedly run to a neighbor’s house and begged her to adopt him, saying he had been hit in the face by his foster parents. It was a desperate plea for help — one that came far too late to save him.

A System That Failed

The case of Dakota Levi Stevens has sent shockwaves through the community, the state, and across the country. How could this happen in a system meant to protect vulnerable children? How could someone with the responsibility of caring for foster children behave in such an inhumane way?

According to The Indianapolis Star, Wilson had multiple foster children living in her home at the time of the incident. All of them were removed by the Department of Child Services after Dakota’s death. It was later revealed that Wilson pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in October 2024, a charge that many advocates feel does not reflect the full weight of the crime.

In January 2025, she was sentenced to six years in prison, with one year suspended to be served under probation. Many have expressed outrage at what they see as a lenient sentence for an act that ended a child’s life.

A Child Remembered

Dakota was remembered in his obituary as a joyful and spirited young boy, someone who “loved the outdoors” and “marched to the beat of his own drum.” He was a child who found wonder in simple things, who still had so much ahead of him. He deserved a future — a chance to heal, to thrive, and to grow up in a world that showed him compassion and safety.

Instead, his life ended in a way no child should ever experience.

“We can’t bring Dakota back, but we can tell his story,” a family friend said during a memorial service. “We can make sure the world knows what happened to him, and demand better for other children like him.”

Justice for Dakota — and All Foster Children

While Jennifer Wilson will serve time behind bars, the deeper wounds left behind are not so easily addressed. This case shines a harsh light on the failures of the foster care system — a system stretched thin, underfunded, and too often blind to signs of abuse or neglect.

Why was Dakota placed in a home with someone capable of such violence? Were there missed red flags? Could this have been prevented?

These questions continue to haunt Dakota’s community — and the answers must lead to change. If nothing else, Dakota’s short life must inspire reform. Foster children are among society’s most vulnerable, and they deserve more than just placement — they deserve to be cherished, protected, and heard.

Let this story be a wake-up call. Let it move us to action.

Rest in peace, Dakota.
You were loved, and you will not be forgotten.