A mother in Missouri has been arrested after her 1-year-old child died after not being fed for almost two days, authorities have alleged.
On Tuesday, March 4, Alyssa N. Wehmeyer, 21, of Cape Girardeau, was formally charged with one count of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death, per a Missouri State Highway Patrol news release.
The arrest came the day after the Cape Girardeau Police Department requested that the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime “investigate a suspicious death” of a toddler.
“During the investigation, it was determined the child suffered from severe malnutrition and neglect, resulting in the child’s death. On March 3, 2025, Wehmeyer was taken into custody by members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol and transported to the Scott County Jail,” the release stated.
Alyssa Wehmeyer.
MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL
Per a warrant for arrest document seen by PEOPLEthe suspect is accused of not feeding the 1-year-old for approximately 43 hours.
A probable cause affidavit, also seen by PEOPLE, confirmed an autopsy had been conducted. “At the conclusion, it was determined that the possible cause of death was dehydration,” it stated, adding that “very little evidence of food” had been found in the child’s stomach.
Wehmeyer reportedly told authorities that the child had last eaten on Feb. 26 at around 5 – 6 p.m. local time. She also mentioned that she’d put them to bed the following night at around 6:30 p.m. after changing their diaper. By then, it had been approximately 24 hours since the child had eaten, the documents added.
On Feb. 28 at around 2 a.m., the child woke up crying and she held them for around 30 to 40 minutes before lying them back down in bed, the suspect said, per the documents. At around 1 p.m. that day, she went to check on the child and noticed their lips were blue and they weren’t breathing.
It had been nearly 19 hours since the child’s diaper had been changed and they had “severe blisters” on their buttocks from a diaper rash, authorities stated. It was determined the child had been left unattended in their crib for almost 19 hours, per the documents.
A photo of a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper car.
Michael B. Thomas/AFP via Getty
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Wehmeyer blamed the lack of diaper changing on the fact that she had a migraine, per the probable cause affidavit, stating that she’d taken three Excedrin and had a nap. She said she hadn’t sought medical treatment regarding the child’s malnutrition or the severe diaper rash.
The suspect is being held on a $100,000 bond, per the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s news release.
Wehmeyer is set to make her first court appearance on Thursday, March 6.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information.
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