Police: Pennsylvania Woman Fatally Poisoned Boyfriend’s Baby with Acetone

A 20-year-old woman in New Castle, Pennsylvania, is accused of fatally poisoning her boyfriend’s 18-month-old baby with acetone in 2023.

Authorities with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office arrested Aleisia Owens on Wednesday in connection to the death of Iris Jacoby-Alfera, TribLive.com reported Thursday.

An image shows the suspect:

In a recent press release, the attorney general’s office said the suspect has been charged with criminal homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and additional offenses per “conduct leading to the baby’s death and other acts of abuse in months prior.”

Video footage shows the handcuffed suspect exiting a police vehicle while flanked by officers:

The agency noted the woman was denied bail in light of the homicide charges levied against her. The news release continued:

The Medical Examiner determined that the child’s death was the result of fatal levels of acetone in her blood at the time of death, and ruled it a homicide. Investigators learned that in months before the baby’s death, the child ingested numerous “water beads,” along with button-shaped batteries, and a metal screw. Investigators discovered that Owens had been researching online the harm that water beads and batteries can cause children prior to the child ingesting the items.

In the months before the child died, she was taken to the hospital after swallowing some of the items. At the time, she was in the custody of her father, identified as Bailey Jacoby, and Owens, the TribLive.com report said.

Officials with Lawrence County Children and Youth Services were reportedly alerted to what happened. However, no one filed charges in the case, and the agency apparently did not take action to investigate at the time.

The TribLive.com report continued, stating, “According to the criminal complaint, first responders were called to Owens’ house on Electric Street in New Castle shortly after 4 p.m. June 25 for an unresponsive 1-year-old.” The child was reportedly breathing, but her eyes were fixed and glazed.

She died at a hospital several days later. The autopsy found she died of acetone poisoning, which caused her organs to fail.

In its press release, the general’s office said:

Further investigation found that in the months leading up to this incident, Owens had conducted web searches on her cellphone related to the actions that ultimately led to the child’s death. From February to June, Owens repeatedly searched for information on household products that could cause a child serious harm or death, including water beads, batteries, and nail polish. Searches included phrases such as, “beauty products that are poisonous to kids” and “medications leading to cause accidental poisoning deaths in children.”

The baby’s mother, Emily Alfera, had previously won primary physical custody of her child and filed a petition on April 5 for special relief.

However, Common Pleas Judge David H. Acker failed to limit the time Jacoby had the baby in his care, according to the TribLive.com report.