Alesha Martin, 25, of Reno, Nevada, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with the possibility of parole after four years, for secretly giving her 1-year-old son unprescribed medication, according to court documents and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.
Martin “crushed up” clonidine pills—typically used to treat high blood pressure or ADHD—and mixed them into her son’s milk in a sippy cup or into yogurt. The dosing caused a series of unexplained medical emergencies that required hospitalization in Nevada and Utah, prompting a criminal investigation.
The boy’s grandfather reported to authorities that the mother had repeatedly poisoned the child. Martin was arrested in June 2025 and admitted to giving her son the medication on multiple occasions. According to charging documents, she “kept doing it” and administered clonidine while the boy was hospitalized, including on May 14 and May 21, 2025.
Martin reportedly spaced the doses every six to seven days, claiming she did so “so she would not hurt” him. Despite this, she administered another dose just one day after his release from the hospital on May 27, which led to the child being hospitalized again.
Martin pleaded guilty to four counts of willfully poisoning food, drinks, water, or medicine, and one count of child abuse. Authorities say her actions caused repeated medical crises that endangered her son’s life.
Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam thanked medical professionals, child welfare partners, and prosecutors for their efforts, noting their coordination was “critical to bringing the investigation to a successful conclusion” and ensuring the child’s safety.
Leave a Comment