Foster mother in Pulaski County charged after child dies

PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Pulaski County woman was charged on Thursday after a foster child who was in her care died and another was injured.

Alyssa Sierra Jackson, of St. Robert, was charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death, two counts of child abuse and a count of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child resulting in serious injuries. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says she was arrested on Thursday. Jackson is being held on a $1 million bond. A mugshot was not immediately available. Jackson is described as the foster mother of the children in court documents.

According to the probable cause statement, deputies responded to a call of an unresponsive 2-year-old girl not breathing with CPR in progress on Tuesday in the 13000 block of Trinity Circle. The child was brought to multiple hospitals, including Mercy Hospital in Springfield, the statement says. Law enforcement was told the child died on Aug. 14, the statement says.

A 3-year-old child was taken from Jackson and placed with another foster family “due to the injuries and ongoing investigation involving” the 2-year-old, the statement says. Court documents say those foster parents took the child to St. Louis Children’s Hospital after learning about their injuries.

The 3-year-old had injuries to their spine that indicated abuse occurred, according to court documents. The child also was allegedly “malnourished, dehydrated” and had bruised eyes, among other injuries, the statement says.

Jackson was interviewed on Wednesday and deputies executed a search warrant at her residence, the statement says. She allegedly told law enforcement that she was the only person ever around the children, the statement says.

“While searching the residence for evidence the house was noted to be in disarray with human feces on the floor, walls, stained on mattresses', dishes piled up in every sink to include the bathroom sinks, flies throughout the house with molded food on the floors and in the children's bed, clothes piled on Jacksons bed to the ceiling, with a smell of mildew and mold,” court documents say.

The children’s room apparently “had a freshly cleaned and shampooed floor that was still slightly damp to touch,” the statement says.

The statement says medical records indicated the 2-year-old had "Severe hemorrhagic retina changes, disc and retina edema in both eyes. Findings are consistent with non-accidental trauma."

When Jackson was interviewed by law enforcement again, she allegedly “gave various reasons for the injuries that still could not explain the injuries other than child abuse,” court documents say.

Jackson also has three of her own children, the statement says.