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Wisconsin mother charged after infant dies from meth exposure while breastfeeding

A 23-year-old mother in Trimbelle, Wisconsin, admitted to using meth days before her three-week-old son died of methamphetamine toxicity, leading to homicide charges.

Authorities in Pierce County arrived at a Trimbelle residence on March 14 and discovered that 23-year-old Jessie Lee Kittelson’s three-week-old son was unresponsive and cyanotic. Emergency crews performed CPR, but the infant was declared dead, and subsequent testing identified methamphetamine toxicity as the fatal factor. Kittelson acknowledged smoking meth three days before the death and admitted to breastfeeding the baby after discarding expressed milk, even researching how long the drug remains in breast milk.

Her 26-year-old partner, Taylor Jae Olson, confessed to procuring meth for the couple. Both adults face charges of first-degree reckless homicide and chronic neglect, offenses that carry potential sentences of up to 60 years. Their court appearance is set for September 2, and it remains unclear whether they have legal representation.

Why it matters

The case highlights the lethal risk of drug use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, prompting public health and legal scrutiny.

In this story

methamphetamine toxicityinfant deathbreastfeedingfirst-degree reckless homicidechronic neglectdrug use during pregnancyTrimbelleWisconsin