He had just pleaded with a neighbor to take him in—telling them he was being hurt. Less than half an hour later, he was found unconscious.
This was the tragic final chapter for Dakota Levi Stevens, a ten-year-old boy caught in the foster care system who cried out for help—and was heartbreakingly unheard one last time. By the time emergency responders arrived, the damage was irreversible. What unfolded next would shake even the most experienced investigators to their core.
Some tragedies leave a permanent wound on society’s conscience. Dakota’s death is one such wound. A child’s life was lost under circumstances both horrifying and profoundly sad.
Dakota had only been in his foster home for a month before his life was brutally cut short. His foster mother, 48-year-old Jennifer Lee Wilson of Berrien County, Michigan, now faces the consequences of her actions after being charged and convicted of reckless homicide.
The lead-up to Dakota’s death is chilling.
Earlier that day, Dakota had fled his foster home and was found at a neighbor’s house. After being brought back, he reportedly acted out—throwing himself on the floor. Instead of compassion or patience, Wilson’s reaction proved fatal.
She sat on him.
Not for a momentary restraint, but pressed down with her entire 340-pound frame on a child weighing barely 90 pounds. This crushing hold lasted for an estimated five minutes, all while Wilson was on the phone with Dakota’s caseworker.
Dakota screamed in terror. He begged for relief. But Wilson allegedly dismissed his pleas as mere theatrics, asking, “Are you faking?”
When she finally released him and turned him over, she saw his eyelids had turned pale.
Another child in the home dialed 911, but the help came too late. Dakota was airlifted to a hospital, placed on life support, and passed away two days later, on April 25, 2024.
The autopsy revealed a devastating reality: severe internal trauma, including hemorrhaging in the liver and lungs. The official cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation—he had been crushed.
Adding to the heartbreak, court records revealed that just 30 minutes before emergency personnel arrived, Dakota had begged a neighbor to adopt him, explaining that his “parents hit him in the face.”
Wilson told investigators she had attempted to stop Dakota from running away again, unsure whether she had tackled him or simply fallen onto him. She insisted no harm was intended—only restraint.
Despite her claims, Wilson pleaded guilty to reckless homicide in October 2024. In January 2025, she was sentenced to six years in prison, with one year suspended and served on probation.
At the time, Wilson was caring for other foster children, all of whom were subsequently removed from her home.
Dakota’s obituary remembered him as a boy who “loved being outdoors” and who “marched to the beat of his own drum.” A child with dreams, a spark, and a unique spirit that deserved protection—not violence.
A Final Reflection
While nothing can erase the horror Dakota endured, his story must not be forgotten. It’s a stark reminder that children in foster care require more than just placement—they need true safety, kindness, and a system that prioritizes their well-being. Though justice was served through Wilson’s sentence, no punishment can bring Dakota back.
He deserved love. He deserved safety. He deserved a future.
May Dakota’s story inspire change. May his memory live on with the honor it deserves.
Rest in peace, Dakota. You mattered. You always will.