HARRISBURG, PA – Attorney General Michelle Henry announced the arrest of Aleisia Owens, a 20-year-old Lawrence County woman, for the abuse and death of her boyfriend’s one-year-old daughter.

Owens faces charges of criminal homicide for the baby’s death in June 2023, along with attempted homicide, aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and other offenses related to prior abuse.

The case, investigated by the Office of Attorney General and New Castle Police Department, led to charges filed on Thursday. Owens has been denied bail due to the severity of the charges.

The Medical Examiner concluded that the child’s death was caused by fatal levels of acetone in her blood, ruling it a homicide. Prior to the death, the child ingested harmful objects including “water beads,” button-shaped batteries, and a metal screw. Investigators discovered Owens had researched the harmful effects of these items on children.

Attorney General Henry described the case as heartbreaking, highlighting the defendant’s extensive research into substances harmful to children and subsequent actions. New Castle Police Chief Robert Salem commended the collaborative efforts in bringing Owens to justice.

The incident began on June 25, 2023, when emergency responders were called to Bailey Jacoby’s home, where he lived with Owens. They found Jacoby’s daughter unresponsive and rushed her to UPMC Jameson Hospital. She was later airlifted to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh but passed away on June 29.

An autopsy revealed that acetone poisoning caused organ failure. Medical experts determined the child was exposed to acetone shortly before hospitalization. Investigations into Owens’ web searches revealed repeated inquiries into household products and substances harmful to children.

The New Castle Police Department initially investigated the death, with the Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office later referring the case to the Office of Attorney General for prosecution.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.