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Court documents are shedding light on the neglect of a dependent arrest of a 26-year-old Elwood man.

Police believe Jacob Wootton is responsible for his 2-year-old stepson’s death after allegedly admitting to his cousin that he forgot the toddler was in the tub. In addition, the toddler was found with multiple bruises on his back. Wootton claimed he smacked the boy a few times to try to get him to wake up, but later allegedly told his cousin that “I probably broke his ribs.”

Court documents show that day, the toddler’s mother, Alyson Stephen, left the toddler in the care of Wootton.

After she left, Wootton’s cousin and friend arrived at the residence.

One reportedly helped with CPR as the other called 911 after Wootton answered the door with the unresponsive toddler wrapped in a blanket. They told authorities later that Wootton was crying and the toddler was “cold to the touch.” After police arrived, the cousin reportedly told authorities Wootton stated to him, “I forgot about him.”

The Elwood Fire Department transported the 2-year-old with the arriving officer to St. Vincent Hospital in Elwood.

At the emergency room, authorities spoke with Wootton. Police said Wootton told them he thought the toddler “fell in the tub” after allegedly hearing “a thud.” He stated he left the bathroom for a little while to deal with two other children in the residence.

Wootton said the toddler was unresponsive in the tub and immediately began CPR.

Police then conducted an interview at the child care center in Elwood where two other stepchildren of Wootton attend. Police said one child told them that, “Jake gives baths, but also whoops us too.” The other child told police he is scared of Wootton and his mother, Stephen.

Marion County Coroner’s Office concluded that the toddler died from blunt force trauma and also had a hemorrhage in an optic nerve.

Once at the police station, Wootton admitted around 20 minutes went by before 911 was called. During that time, Wootton told police he smacked the toddler multiple times and bit the toddler in the cheek in an effort to wake him up.

Police charged Wootton with neglect of a dependent resulting in death after the autopsy results and because he allegedly waited 20 minutes to call 911.

The mother, Alyson Stephen, 23, was arrested on the charge of neglect of a dependent. More details will be released on her arrest at a later date.
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You don't just forget about a kid unless you have had a significant portion of your brain removed in a traffic accident. Now to the Casual Observer this assholes brain pain seems to be intact ergo his claim is false and without Merit
 
Court documents show that day, the toddler’s mother, Alyson Stephen, had to be at work by 4 p.m. and left the toddler in the care of Wootton. She told police Wootton was in the living room, but he got up to walk back towards the bathroom as she was leaving.

After she left, Wootton’s cousin and friend arrived at the residence.

One reportedly helped with CPR as the other called 911 after Wootton answered the door with the unresponsive toddler wrapped in a blanket. They told authorities later that Wootton was crying and the toddler was “cold to the touch.” After police arrived, the cousin reportedly told authorities Wootton stated to him, “I forgot about him.”

Mom only mentions the penis going to the bathroom not the child. I think he had already beaten the child and placed him in the tub.

When the family members came over and the child was discovered that is when he meant to say the -

"Magic bath forgot to heal Ryder"
 
Charges have been amended against the mother and stepfather of an Elwood toddler who died three days before his second birthday. Both are now charged with murder.

Alyson Stephen, 24, and Jacob Wootton, 26, were charged with Level 1 neglect of a dependent resulting in death following the death of 23-month-old Ryder Stephen on Oct. 29, 2018.

The amended charging information against Wootton also includes a life without parole enhancement. If convicted, he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole in the beating death of Ryder.

Stephen said she did not know what happened to Ryder when he was found unresponsive on Oct. 26, according to an affidavit of probable cause by Detective Ben Gosnell. She said she put Ryder in the infant bathtub while she got ready for work and left him there with Wootton.

When Ryder was taken to the hospital, Stephen said she was at work. The toddler was pronounced dead three days later by doctors at Riley Hospital for Children.

There was an active no-contact order between Wootton and Stephen after Elwood police arrested Wootton after he allegedly hit Stephen in front of her 4- and 2-year-old children in March 2018.

Prosecutors filed amended charges against Stephen and Wootton in May. The couple are listed as co-defendants in the case.
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An Elwood man has entered a guilty plea to neglect of a dependent resulting in death, but he still faces a murder charge in the case.

Jacob Stephen Wootton, 29, pleaded guilty in the 2019 death of 23-month-old Ryder Stephen.

Defense attorney Mark Nicholson said there is no plea agreement with the state on any charges, and that Wootton wants to plead guilty to the neglect charge and two misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.

Circuit Court 1 Judge Angela Warner Sims set sentencing on the guilty pleas for Feb. 18.

In a Nov. 30 email, Deputy Prosecutor Jesse Miller said Wootton could plead guilty to any of the charges, but there is no plea offer on the murder charge.

"My client can't plead guilty to murder for something he didn't do," Nicholson said Monday.

He said he hoped that by pleading guilty to the neglect of a dependent, the state would dismiss the murder charge.

"There is no offer from the state," Judge Sims reiterated.

She has not set a trial date for Wootton on the murder charge,

When Miller read the factual basis for the guilty plea on the neglect charge in court Monday, the cause of death was stated as multiple blunt force trauma.

Wootton denied the allegation of blunt force trauma, which is part of the murder charge.

Nicholson stated the child, Wootton's stepson, died while in his client's care. On Oct. 29, 2018, Wootton placed the boy in a bathtub. He left the bathroom, heard a noise and discovered the child had fallen.

Wooten testified that he was on drugs at the time and that if not for the drug use, he would not have left the child alone.

Miller said the coroner's office determined the injuries Ryder suffered were not consistent with a fall.

When asked by Judge Sims, Wootton said Ryder suffered injuries before the fall.

Alyson Stephen, who was married to Wootton at the time, is charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death. No trial date has been set for her.

The couple has since divorced.

Ryder was found unresponsive while in Wootton's care, according to an affidavit of probable cause by Detective Ben Gosnell.

Alyson Stephen told police she put Ryder in the infant bathtub while she got ready for work and left him with Wootton when she went to work. She said she was at work when Ryder was taken to the hospital.

Elwood police officer Jerry Branson said the toddler was not breathing and was cold to the touch when he arrived at the residence.

Branson performed CPR on Ryder, who was taken to Ascension St. Vincent Mercy Hospital before being transported to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

Riley doctors pronounced the toddler dead three days later.

During Ryder's autopsy, Dr. Chris Poulos, chief physical pathologist for the Marion County coroner, found multiple bruises on Ryder's head and body, Detective Gosnell said in his affidavit.
 
Circuit Court Judge Angela G. Warner Sims on Friday sentenced Jacob Stephen Wootton to 52 years in prison for the slaying of toddler Ryder Wootton, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.

Wootton reached a deal with prosecutors and in December pleaded guilty to one count of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, and one count of being a habitual offender. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss one count of murder initially charged against Wootton.
The sentence breaks down as follows: the maximum 40 years on the neglect charge plus an additional 12 years on the habitual offender charge, to be served consecutively, The Herald Bulletin reported.

“Today is sad day regardless of what side you’re on,” Judge Sims reportedly said during Friday’s proceeding in Madison County Circuit 1 Court. “Today is about justice. Unfortunately, I’ve seen other cases where a child died at the hands of a parent. They failed in their responsibility.”
Addressing the court, Wootton reportedly took responsibility for failing his son.

“There is nothing I can do or say,” Wootton reportedly said. “As a father I failed him. This is a tragedy, everyone involved has suffered. I miss him dearly.”
According to the Bulletin, officers with the Elwood Police Department on the afternoon of Oct. 26, 2018 responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive toddler at the home where Wootton lived with his then-wife Alyson Stephen, Ryder, and two other children. Stephen, who was reportedly at work when Ryder sustained his fatal injuries, is also facing one count each of murder and neglect of a dependent resulting in death, online records show.

Upon arriving at the residence at approximately 4:12 p.m., Elwood police officer Jerry Branson reportedly said that he found the child not breathing and “cold to the touch,” according to a probable cause affidavit. Officer Branson reportedly performed CPR on the toddler, who was then transported to St. Vincent Mercy Hospital in Elwood before being transported to Indiana University Health’s Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

Ryder reportedly held on for three days before he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on Oct. 29.

During interviews with police, Wootton reportedly told investigators that he had put Ryder in the bathtub and forgotten about him when checking on the other two children, Indianapolis CBS affiliate WTTV reported. He reportedly said he thought the toddler fell and hit his head.

After finding Ryder unresponsive in the tub, Wootton reportedly claimed that he “smacked the boy a few times and bit him on the face to try to get him to wake up,” per WTTV. He then waited approximately 20 minutes before calling 911, prosecutors said.
Dr. Chris Poulos, the chief physical pathologist for the Marion County Coroner’s Office, performed an autopsy and reportedly determined that Ryder’s death was a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. Dr. Poulos also reportedly found severe bruising covering Ryder’s body and head that was consistent with physical abuse.

Prior to Judge Sims handing down her sentence, Assistant District Attorney Jesse Miller reportedly said the state was seeking the maximum sentence against Wootton because of the brutal nature of Ryder’s death, saying the case was as bad as it gets.
“There were significant bruises,” he said, according to The Herald Bulletin. “It’s one of the worst of the worst.”

Wootton’s habitual offender status stems from numerous arrests for crimes such as theft, burglary, drug possession, and domestic battery committed in the presence of children.

Jacob Stephen Wootton (Madison County Jail)

Jacob Stephen Wootton
 
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He looks like he couldn’t give a shit .. at least women and children will be safe now .. I am really torn on what charges a woman should receive for staying .. it took me awhile to pay attention to where he hid money because I literally had no access to our money .. courage takes time .. and you have to have an escape plan .. it took time to implement some of the things I needed for a successful escape .. or I could of let my dad and uncle call a hit on him .. I wasn’t prepared to live with that decision .. I second guess it now .. I don’t think it should be the same charges .. but I can understand that there needs to be some kind of charge, infraction for not deciding to get out .. for not asking for help and acceptance that they left the children alone with these psychopaths .. I don’t know what the answer is .. maybe they should create a specific charge ..
 
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A doctor reviewing the medical evidence in the murder trial of Alyson Stephen said a second child had possible injuries.

Stephen, 27, Elwood, is on trial in Madison Circuit Court Division 1 charged with the murder of one of her sons in 2018. The trial could go to the jury Thursday.

Dr. Ralph Hicks said Wednesday that Ryder Stephen, 23 months old, had bruising on the upper chest caused by a forceful impact to that part of the body.



“The severity of Ryder’s injuries were critical and life threatening,” he testified. “It was caused by trauma.”

When asked by deputy prosecutor Jesse Miller whether the injuries could have been caused by a fall in the bathtub or another child, Hicks said the injuries could not be expected to be from a child.

Hicks testified that another of Stephen’s sons, a 3-year-old, was examined at Riley Children’s Hospital and injuries were observed.

“There were bruises to both ears, the wrist, over the ribs and one arm,” he said. “Bruising to the ears is very uncommon, quite unusual.”

He said the bruising of both ears was highly suspicious.

During cross examination, Attorney John Reeder asked what sort of symptoms would Ryder have had, considering what he suffered. Hicks said immediately after being traumatized, he would have experienced changes in mental state, lethargy, a loss of alertness or consciousness and difficulty speaking or understanding.

Hicks also suggested Ryder suffered from blunt-force trauma and a lack of blood flow from the brain.




Jurors were shown the interview of Stephen by Elwood Police Department detective Ben Gosnell on Nov. 1, 2018, two days after Ryder died.

“I got angry and cried a lot,” Stephen said when asked how she was doing.

During the interview, Stephen said she had been hearing varying stories about how her son died. She said she wanted to know for herself. She said, at first, Shaken Baby Syndrome and other conditions had been suggested.

When asked by Gosnell what happened, Stephen said, “I wish I did know.”

Stephen told Gosnell that her former husband, Jacob Wootton, was “heavy handed” when he spanked the children.

“I usually hit Ryder on the butt when he misbehaved,” she said during the recorded interview. “I try not to hit them; I make them stand or sit in the corner.”

The day Wootten came over to tend to the children as Stephen was leaving for work, she said he was “agitated” because he could not find his electrical tape. She said he wanted to fix his glasses, which were uncomfortable.

Stephen said she did not know what happened to Ryder when he was found unresponsive Oct. 26, 2018, according to an affidavit of probable cause by Gosnell. She said she put Ryder in the infant bathtub while she got ready for work and left him there with Wootton.

When Ryder was taken to the hospital, Stephen said, she was at work. The toddler was pronounced dead three days later by doctors at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.
 
She knew he wasn't even supposed to be there.
"There was an active no-contact order between Wootton and Stephen after Elwood police arrested Wootton after he allegedly hit Stephen in front of her 4- and 2-year-old children in March 2018."
So she let him come back
KNOWING. KNOWING.
Timeline is hinky too. How long was her commute? She had to be there at 4,
EMS got there at around 4:12 AFTER he waited 20 minutes to call?! Jmho but I think she knew he was in critical condition BEFORE she left.
 
Alyson Stephen has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the 2018 death of her son, Ryder.
Stephen didn't testify during her trial but did address the court prior to sentencing.

While questioned by defense attorney John Reeder, Stephen said she has sought mental health counseling for battered women syndrome, grief and loss while she's been in the Madison County Jail.
"I feel like I will never see my children again," she said of her other three children. "I never thought this would happen.

"I would like to be home with my children," Stephen testified.

Deputy Prosecutor Jesse Miller asked Stephen what she did wrong on the day her son died.

Stephen said she violated the no contact order with her former husband, Wootton.
"Do you believe you did anything wrong?" Miller asked.

Stephen said she had to go to work that day and didn't have another babysitter to watch her children.
In his closing statement, Miller said Stephen was provided with the resources to assist her, but instead choose to protect Wootton.

"In her mind, she still didn't do anything wrong; she had to work," Miller said.
Reeder said Stephen has shown extreme remorse to everyone concerned.

"We're asking for a fair sentence," he said.

Wootton was sentenced by Judge Sims to 40 years after his plea of guilty to neglect of a dependent causing death and 12 years as a habitual offender.
 
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