Jennifer Lee Wilson, the Liberty Township woman charged with reckless homicide in the death of a foster boy in her care, is slated to go to trial on March 3.
That and other court dates were scheduled Tuesday in a hearing before Porter Superior Court Judge Mary DeBoer.
Wilson, 48, was charged with reckless homicide in Dakota Levi Steven’s death on July 12. A warrant was issued for her arrest when she was charged, and police in Berrien County and New Buffalo, Michigan, arrested her the night of July 13. She has pleaded not guilty.
She bonded out of the Porter County Jail on July 17 after posting a $20,000 cash bond.
Wilson, according to court documents, “laid on his midsection” for several minutes outside her home because Dakota, 10, was “acting up.” Wilson contacted the boy’s caseworker and her husband for video calls while she lay on the child until he stopped breathing on April 25.
Wilson weighed 340 pounds and Dakota weighed 91 pounds, according to charging documents.
Dakota died on April 27 at South Bend Memorial Hospital. The St. Joseph County Coroner’s Office ruled his death a homicide and said he died from mechanical asphyxiation.
Dakota, who’s called Levi by family, was removed from his parents’ home when he was 5 years old because of their drug abuse, the boy’s family said, and his father has since died.
Family members tried to retain custody of him but he was placed in foster care. In the years before his death, Dakota bounced between his relatives’ homes and foster care, as well as mental health facilities.
Wilson, according to charging documents, told police that Dakota ran away after an argument about him doing chores before he went outside to play.
Shortly before Wilson found Dakota, he asked a neighbor to adopt him “because his parents hit him in the face and didn’t let him call his caseworker,” according to the charging documents. The neighbor said she didn’t see any signs of injury.
Family members have said they would like the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office to file additional charges
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against Wilson and have decried what they consider too lenient of a sentence if Wilson is found guilty of reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony which calls for one to six years in prison.A Sept. 4 hearing date has been set for DeBoer to consider a motion from Wilson to terminate a no-contact order.
Additional court dates include omnibus hearings scheduled for Sept. 24 and Oct. 29; a final pretrial hearing on Dec. 3; and a status hearing on Jan. 14, which also is the last day for a change of plea by Wilson.
Porter County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ryan has been assigned to the case. Wilson is being represented by Indianapolis attorneys Amanda Price and Kathie Perry.