A 3-week-old boy was found unresponsive and without a pulse at a home in the town of Trimbelle, Wisconsin, after authorities responded to a report that the infant was not breathing, law enforcement said.
The baby was pale and bluish with a dark substance around his mouth and nose when officers arrived on March 14, according to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime. Emergency responders pronounced the child dead at the scene.
Background
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office responded to the residence in Trimbelle—a small town in western Wisconsin approximately 45 miles from Minneapolis—after receiving a call about an infant not breathing. The responding sergeant found the baby without vital signs, authorities said.
During interviews with investigators, the child's mother, Jessie Lee Kittelson, allegedly admitted to using methamphetamine throughout her entire pregnancy and smoking meth three days before breastfeeding the child, according to law enforcement.
Kittelson claimed she had "pumped and dumped" her breast milk for 48 hours prior to feeding her son, using milk she had stored when she believed she was clean from drugs, criminal documents stated. However, investigators said evidence emerged that Kittelson searched how long meth stays in breast milk before nursing the infant.
Taylor Jae Olson, identified as the child's father, allegedly admitted to obtaining the methamphetamine that both he and Kittelson used, according to the sheriff's office.
The Investigation
An autopsy conducted after the infant's death determined the child died of methamphetamine toxicity, WEAU reported. Both Kittelson, 23, and Olson, 26, were subsequently charged with first-degree reckless homicide, chronic neglect of a child resulting in death, and possession of methamphetamine, court records show.
The Pierce County Sheriff's Office handled the initial investigation, with charges filed in county circuit court. Both defendants remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Key Takeaways
- The 3-week-old boy was found unresponsive at his home in Trimbelle, Wisconsin, on March 14
- His mother allegedly admitted to smoking meth three days before breastfeeding the infant
- Investigators say Kittelson searched how long methamphetamine stays in breast milk prior to feeding her son
What's Next
Kittelson and Olson are scheduled for an initial court appearance on Sept. 2, where charges will be formally presented. The case remains under investigation by the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.