In a heartbreaking and shocking incident, a 20-year-old woman from Pennsylvania has been arrested for allegedly poisoning her boyfriend's 18-month-old daughter, Iris Rita Alfera. Aleisia Owens now faces charges including homicide, attempted homicide, aggravated assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child, and other offenses related to the child's death and prior acts of abuse.

The arrest came after an autopsy revealed that Iris had died due to fatal levels of acetone in her blood, as announced by the Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry. Owens had been living with Iris' father, Bailey Jacoby, when he left their New Castle home to run an errand on June 25, 2023.

Upon returning, Jacoby received a distressing call from Owens, alerting him that something was wrong with their daughter. Rushing back home, he found Iris unresponsive and immediately dialed 911. The toddler was initially rushed to UPMC Jameson Hospital in New Castle before being airlifted to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, where she tragically passed away four days later due to organ failure.

Initially, Owens claimed that Iris had hit her head and fallen off her bed after experiencing cramps. However, the autopsy revealed that the child had ingested multiple harmful items, including button-shaped batteries, a metal screw, and "water beads," months before her death. Disturbingly, a search of Owens' phone unveiled an extensive history of researching household products that could cause serious harm or even death to children, from February to June 2023, including water beads, batteries, nail polish, and poisonous beauty products.

New Castle Police Chief Robert Salem called the discoveries on Owens' phone a "crucial piece of evidence" in the case. The investigation further suggested that Owens had been meticulously studying substances that could harm children and subsequently acting on her research.

While Owens has been taken into custody and faces multiple charges, including homicide, no evidence has been found linking Iris' father or anyone else to the baby's death. Jacoby, who had been living with Owens for approximately a year, has been cooperative during the investigation.

The alleged child-killer, Owens, appeared before Judge Richard A. Russo on Thursday to be formally charged. Reports state that she sat in court "dry-eyed and expressionless." Presently, Owens is being held without bond at Lawrence County Jail.

The grieving family of Iris has expressed relief that Owens has been arrested, but acknowledges the long and arduous court process that lies ahead. Emily Alfera, Iris' mother, has posted heart-wrenching tributes to her daughter on social media, struggling to find words to convey her pain and disbelief at the loss of her "beautiful angel baby."

As the case continues to unfold, authorities will strive for justice for Iris Rita Alfera, while those affected by this tragic event grapple with the profound loss of an innocent life.