Washington: A woman in the US state of Pennsylvania, Aleisia Owens, has been accused of fatally poisoning her boyfriend's toddler, Iris Rita Alfera, last year in June. Owens was arrested on Thursday following an announcement by Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, stating that an autopsy revealed the child's death resulted from fatal levels of acetone in her blood.

The 20-year-old woman reportedly researched the harmful effects of feeding the toddler batteries, screws, and nail polish remover before the alleged killing. Attorney General Henry commented on the case, stating, "The details of this case are heartbreaking. It is hard to fathom someone taking deliberate steps to harm a completely helpless child, and then mislead investigators about what happened. The investigation shows that, for months, the defendant conducted meticulous research on how certain substances harm children. She then allegedly acted on her findings."

On June 25, 2023, Aleisia Owens was with Iris' father, Bailey Jacoby, who left the house to go to the store. Upon receiving a call from Owens about something being wrong with his daughter, Jacoby rushed back to the New Castle home, only to find the baby unresponsive. He immediately called 911.

The 18-month-old toddler was taken to UPMC Jameson Hospital in New Castle and later airlifted to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, approximately one hour away. Unfortunately, four days later, Iris died due to organ failure. Iris resided with her mother, Emily Alfera, and her grandparents, while her father, Bailey Jacoby, had visitation rights.

Aleisia Owens initially claimed that the girl hit her head after she "cramped up" and fell off her bed, according to a criminal complaint. However, the autopsy report revealed that the baby had ingested numerous "water beads," along with button-shaped batteries and a metal screw, months before her death.

Upon searching Owens's phone, officials found that between February and June 2023, she had been researching "information on household products that could cause a child serious harm or death, including water beads, batteries, and nail polish." Additionally, she had searched for "beauty products that are poisonous to kids" and "medications leading to cause accidental poisoning deaths in children."

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