Mom Charged With Starving Son To Death, 13-Year-Old Weighed 21 Pounds


A North Dakota mom was charged with murder for starving her son to death. Jessica Lee Jensen reportedly neglected to seek medical care, despite the fact that her son was unable to eat. Officials said Aidan Edward Bossingham, age 13, weighed 21 pounds when his mother reported him dead.

On January 12, Jensen called 911 to report that her son has “passed on.” When authorities responded to the scene, she was holding her emaciated son in her arms. Kenmare police officer Jason Cartier said he approached Aidan and attempted to perform CPR. Unfortunately it was too late.

Although her son was dead, Cartier said Jensen was “exceptionally calm” about the situation.

State Medical Examiner William Massello noted that Aidan appeared “gaunt, with bones and joints visible under the skin… bruises and contusions on various parts of his body.” A nurse practitioner, who witnessed the examination, said the 13-year-old was the size of a toddler.

According to Jensen, Aidan had no appetite due to an issue with his pituitary gland. She also said he suffered with a “hormonal growth problem.” According to court records, Jensen said she tried to feed her son. However, he was unable to digest the food and would often vomit after eating.

Although she claims the medical issues were ongoing, Jensen admitted that her son had not seen a doctor in years. As reported by Huffington Post, Aiden was not taken to the doctor because his mother thought she could “solve the problems” herself.

It is unclear whether authorities have verified that Aidan was diagnosed with a specific medical condition. However, State Medical Examiner William Massello said the teen’s death was preventable. Aidan’s cause of death is listed as chronic starvation.

In addition to starving her son to death, Jessica Lee Jensen is accused of neglecting Aiden and her two other children. A 7-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy were removed from the home and are currently staying with family.

Authorities said the home was “quite cluttered.” In their report, officers noted that at least one bedroom “was littered with filth and what appeared to be feces.”

They also discovered that Jensen’s children had not attended school since 2009. Although social services conducted an investigation for educational neglect, Jensen said she her children were being home schooled. It is unclear how officials proceeded with their case.

Jessica Lee Jensen is currently incarcerated and being held on $250,000 bond. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 1. Attorney Robert Wade Martin was appointed to defend Jensen against the charges that she starved her son to death.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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