A woman appeared in court to face charges of poisoning her boyfriend's one-year-old daughter.
Alessia Owens has been charged in connection with the death of Iris Alfera in June 2023, according to Attorney General Michelle Henry.
Owens was denied bail after appearing before a district magistrate on allegations of criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault on a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and other offenses stemming from the baby's death and previous acts of abuse in the months preceding.
Investigators discovered that the boy consumed multiple "water beads," as well as button-shaped batteries and a metal screw, months before his death and that Owens had been investigating the harm that water beads and batteries can do children online.
Water beads are prevalent in toys and crafts and, because they expand, can damage children's digestive systems if consumed.
On June 25, 2023, emergency services were called to Bailey Jacoby's home, where he shared a residence with Owens, his girlfriend.
Jacoby's one-year-old daughter was found unresponsive by first responders and was taken to UPMC Jameson Hospital for treatment. The child was then transported to Pittsburgh's UPMC Children's Hospital, where she died on June 29.
An autopsy the next day revealed that the cause of death was acetone intoxication, which caused organ failure. Medical professionals who analyzed the baby's physique found that she had been exposed to acetone shortly before being admitted to the hospital.
The Medical Examiner deemed the child's death a homicide because of deadly quantities of acetone in her blood at the moment of death.
Further inquiry revealed that in the months preceding this occurrence, Owens had made web searches on her mobile about the activities that ultimately resulted in the child's death.
