Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Alesha Marie Martin, 25, faces aggravated child abuse charges in Utah.
- Martin allegedly poisoned her son with unprescribed clonidine, causing near-fatal conditions.
- She faces similar charges in Nevada and has a prior child abuse conviction, charges say.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Nevada woman accused of poisoning her young child in that state is now accused of committing similar crimes in Utah.
Alesha Marie Martin, 25, of Reno, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with two counts of aggravated child abuse, a first-degree felony.
In June, a 1-year-old boy was taken to Primary Children's Hospital after allegedly being poisoned. The boy's grandfather told police that the boy "had been poisoned by his mother, defendant Alesha Marie Martin." The grandfather also told investigators that Martin was accused of similar actions in Nevada and believed the young boy "had also been poisoned by Martin in Salt Lake County," according to charging documents.
On June 6, Martin told detectives with the Washoe County Sheriff's Office in Nevada that she had been giving her son medications that were not prescribed to him, the charges state. Specifically, Martin allegedly claimed that in April, she crushed up two clonidine pills and put them in her son's drink.
Clonidine is typically used to treat high blood pressure and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"Martin said from there she 'kept doing it.' Martin said that on at least four occasions, she administered the prescription to (her son). Martin then admitted that while (her toddler) was in Utah, she administered the clonidine to (him) on May 14 and again on May 21 while (the boy) was in the hospital," according to the charges.
Martin claimed "she had been dosing (her son) every six to seven days, and Martin stated she had spaced out the dosing 'so she did not hurt (him).'" She recounted at least five times in May that she "crushed up the pills and mixed them with milk in his sippy cup or yogurt," charging documents allege.
The boy was admitted to a Nevada hospital on May 14 and taken by medical helicopter to Primary Children's Hospital, where he was treated for "episodes of bradycardia, hypotonia, and hypothermia," the charges state. "While the victim was in the hospital, the defendant admitted that on two occasions, she administered clonidine to him."
Doctors in Utah determined that the boy needed to be intubated and needed "respiratory support" and that his condition "constituted a near-fatality," according to the charges.
The boy was released from the hospital on May 27 and returned to Nevada, but the next day, Martin "administered another dose, which landed the victim back in the hospital," the charges state.
Prosecutors say Martin was charged in Reno Township Justice Court with four counts of "felony poisoning food, drinks, water or medicine" and one count of child abuse. She is currently being held in the Washoe County Jail. The charges indicate she has also previously been convicted of child abuse in Nevada.
