Incriminating Google Searches Of Woman Accused Of Murdering Boyfriend's 1-Year-Old Daughter Revealed

Aleisia Owens was charged on Thursday with homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child and other offenses in the June 2023 death of Iris Alfera. She was denied bail.

According to the Office of Attorney General, the child's death was the result of fatal levels of acetone in her blood.

The investigation into Iris' death began on June 25, 2023, when officers responded to the home of the child's father, Bailey Jacoby, and his girlfriend, Owens. Per the criminal complaint (via WPXI), Jacoby went to the store when he got a call from Owens, saying his daughter was lethargic and had fallen from the bed, which was 6-inches off the floor.

Iris was unresponsive at the time and airlifted to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment, but died on June 29. An autopsy showed acetone poisoning as the cause of death, with medical experts determining she was exposed to acetone "just before her hospitalization."

"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," said the AG in a press release. "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."

According to the AG, Owens had used her cell phone from February to June 2023 to search for "information on household products that could cause a child serious harm or death, including water beads, batteries, and nail polish." They say the searches included phrases including, "beauty products that are poisonous to kids" and "medications leading to cause accidental poisoning deaths in children."

"Her phone searches were a crucial piece of the evidence against her," New Castle Police Chief Robert Salem said (via CBS).

The investigation also revealed that in the months leading up to Iris' death, she had been hospitalized for ingesting "multiple harmful objects, including about 20 water beads, batteries, and a metal screw."

"The details of this case are heartbreaking. It is hard to fathom someone taking deliberate steps to harm a completely helpless child, then mislead investigators about what happened," said Attorney General Henry in a statement. "The investigation shows that, for months, the defendant conducted meticulous research on how certain substances harm children. She then allegedly acted on her findings."

Speaking with New Castle News, Salem also said the father, Jacoby, wasn't arrested because "at this time, there is no evidence at all, linking him or anyone else to the baby’s death." He added, "There was nothing throughout the investigation to show that he had any knowledge or involvement about what happened to the baby. He was questioned multiple times and was cooperative."

On June 30, 2023, the day after Iris died, her mother, Emily Alfera, took to Facebook to mourn her child.

"I have no words for what has currently happened to my beautiful angel baby, never in my life I thought I would be saying goodbye to the biggest light in my life," she wrote. "I told god this while I was holding you baby and I said to him that you were too good for this world, you would've and are still going to move mountains."

"You are one of the smartest little girls I have ever met, Intelligent beyond compare and I just pray that you're watching over me as I dedicate my life to you," she concluded. "I love you forever and always my rissy."