Episode 193: Dakota Levi Stevens (Part 1)

Suffer the Little Children

Suffer the Little Children Pod

Social Sciences, True Crime, Society & Culture, Science

4.6 • 993 Ratings

🗓️ 26 April 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Get your Magic Mind here: https://magicmind.com/BYLAINE20
You get 20% off for a one-time purchase and up to 48% off for subscriptions with my code: BYLAINE20

On April 25, 2024, 10-year-old Dakota Levi Stevens was rushed to the hospital in Valparaiso, Indiana, unresponsive. He was placed on life support, but his brain had been deprived of oxygen for too long, and after two days, Levi died. His foster mother, Jennifer Lee Wilson, admitted to police that in an attempt to control his behavior, she had laid her 341-pound body on top of the 91-pound boy. Surveillance camera footage proved that Levi lay motionless under Jennifer for over eight minutes before she moved, asking if he was faking.

This is the story of a joyful, creative, lively little boy who loved Pokemon, Minecraft, bugs, and his little sister. It’s also the story of a broken-hearted family who wanted only to protect Levi but weren’t given the chance by a state system that has failed far too many children.

This is part one of the heart-wrenching story of Dakota Levi Stevens.

Honoring Dakota Levi Stevens on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3953712874915112/

Change.org petition to remove Robert Wilson as middle school principal: https://www.change.org/p/demand-the-removal-of-principal-robert-wilson-from-lake-ridge-new-tech-middle-school

Change.org petition to hold DCS accountable for failing Indiana’s vulnerable children: https://www.change.org/p/hold-the-department-of-children-and-family-services-accountable-for-foster-child-deaths

Levi’s Law petition: https://www.change.org/p/let-s-get-levi-s-law-started?recruiter=295397157&recruited_by_id=d285ea50-f8dd-11e4-8573-5be613050eb0

Geisen Funeral Home memorial video: https://www.tributeslides.com/proxy/videos/embedded_video/SNG7PTDFWK8XF844

Thomas the Tank Engine Theme background music by R3 Music Box on YouTube. (https://www.youtube.com/@r3musicbox_en)

Photos related to today's episode can be viewed on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod

You can also follow the podcast on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sufferthelittlechildrenpod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@STLCpod

My Linktree is available here: https://linktr.ee/stlcpod

Visit the podcast's web page at https://www.sufferthelittlechildrenpod.com.

By supporting me on Patreon, you'll also access rewards, including a shout-out by name on the podcast and exclusive rewards. Visit www.patreon.com/STLCpod.

You can also support the podcast on www.Ko-Fi.com/STLCpod.

**New! Become a member of my channel for perks, ranging from a shout-out, members-only chat emoji, loyalty badges to other rewards. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCogRWoIzWMy7TX5PuX18smQ/join
Join my Spreaker Supporters' Club: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children--4232884/support

This podcast is researched, written, hosted, edited, and produced by Laine.

Music for this episode is licensed from https://audiojungle.net.

Subscribe to Suffer the Little Children:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/id1499010711
Google Podcasts: https://playmusic.app.goo.gl/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&apn=com.google.android.music&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I5mx3lacxpdkhssmk2n22csf32u?t%3DSuffer_the_Little_Children%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16
Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/show/suffer-the-little-children
Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/suffer-the-little-children/PC:61848?part=PC:61848&corr=podcast_organic_external_site&TID=Brand:POC:PC61848:podcast_organic_external_site
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0w98Tpd3710BZ0u036T1KE
iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/77891101/
...or on your favorite podcast listening platform.

If you see something, say something. https://childhelp.org

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This podcast contains descriptions of violence against children and adult language and is not suitable for all audiences.
0:06.9	Listener discretion is advised.
0:30.2	Hi everyone, and welcome to suffer the little children, the podcast giving voices back to the victims of child abuse murder and their families.
0:37.3	I'm your host, Lane, and this is episode 193, Dakota Levi-Stevens, Part 1. On April 25, 2004, 10-year-old Dakota Levi-Stevens was rushed to the hospital in Valparaiso, Indiana, unresponsive.
0:48.3	He was placed on life support, but his brain had been deprived of oxygen for too long, and after two days, Levi died.
0:56.0	His foster mother, Jennifer Lee Wilson, admitted to police that in an attempt to control his behavior,
1:01.8	she had laid her 341-pound body on top of the 91-pound boy.
1:07.4	Surveillance camera footage proved that Levi lay motionless under Jennifer for over eight minutes before she moved, asking if he was faking.
1:15.9	This is the story of a joyful, creative, lively little boy who loved Pokemon, Minecraft, bugs, and his little sister.
1:24.2	It's also the story of a broken-hearted family who wanted only to protect Levi,
1:29.2	but weren't given the chance by a state system that has failed far too many children.
1:34.4	This is part one of the heart-wrenching story of Dakota Levi-Stevens.
1:39.6	When I first heard what happened to Levi,
1:41.7	I thought immediately of 13-year-old Jonathan Carey,
1:45.3	whose story I covered last year in episodes 177 through 179.
1:50.7	Both of these boys were suffocated by their caregivers using criminally improper restraint techniques,
1:56.3	and they were both old enough to know what was happening to them.
1:59.6	They also both had some level of
2:01.7	special needs, and sadly, as I've said before, that makes kids more susceptible to being abused.
2:08.3	Let's get started. Dakota Levi Stevens was born at 4.49 a.m. on October 21st, 2013, in Munster, Indiana, to a young
2:22.2	couple, Gabby and Cody. In honor of his great-grandfather, whose middle name was Lee,
2:28.0	the baby's family called him Levi, and at their request, I'll be doing the same throughout the
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Suffer the Little Children Pod, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Suffer the Little Children Pod and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.