On September 20, in a Hilliard, Ohio home on Paxton Drive South, Basma Alkelezli (36) gave birth to a baby boy and, within 5-10 seconds of delivery, wrapped him in a blood-soaked blanket and placed him in a plastic trash bag. She then instructed her 19-year-old daughter, Hanan Al Jabouli, to dispose of the baby. Al Jabouli placed the bag inside a five-gallon bucket and carried it to the trunk of a vehicle in the backyard, admitting she could hear the baby crying from inside the bag during this process. A 911 call was made by Al Jabouli regarding her mother's medical condition (headache and unresponsiveness), which prompted paramedics from Norwich Township Fire Department to respond. Paramedics discovered evidence of a recent birth, and Hilliard police subsequently found the baby in the vehicle. CPR was performed, and the infant was transported to Nationwide Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The coroner determined the baby did not die in utero and was otherwise healthy, but classified the cause and manner of death as undetermined. Both women were charged with aggravated murder, murder, and multiple other felonies. Prosecutors stated the motive was financial — the family was moving homes and the mother said the baby would have been more expensive.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Both documents 1 and 3 report charges of "strangulation or suffocation" against both Alkelezli and Al Jabouli. Document 3 (10tv.com bond article) states: "She admitted to wrapping up the baby in a blood-soaked blanket within 5-10 seconds after delivering the baby and placing it in the trash bag." The baby was placed alive into a plastic trash bag (confirmed by Al Jabouli hearing the baby crying from inside the bag), which constitutes suffocation as an inflicted injury.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
All three documents identify Basma Alkelezli (also referred to as Alkelezli Basma Abdul Karim) as the biological mother of the newborn. Document 1 (10tv.com) states: "Alkelezli knowingly placed her newborn baby boy into a plastic trash bag and instructed Al Jabouli to dispose of the baby." Document 3 states: "She admitted to wrapping up the baby in a blood-soaked blanket within 5-10 seconds after delivering the baby and placing it in the trash bag." She is charged with aggravated murder, murder, and other offenses.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Hanan Al Jabouli, 19, is identified as the daughter of Alkelezli and thus a sibling (older sister or half-sister) of the newborn baby. Document 2 (Yahoo/Dispatch) states: "Karim placed her newborn son in a plastic trash bag and then instructed her daughter, Al Jabouli, to dispose of him." Document 3 states: "She carried the 5-gallon bucket out to the car. She admitted she could still hear the baby crying from inside the trash bag and bucket as she carried the bucket and placed it inside the vehicle." Al Jabouli is charged with aggravated murder, murder, and other offenses in connection with the baby's death.
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Both Basma Alkelezli (36) and Hanan Al Jabouli (19) were arrested and charged. Document 1 (10tv.com) states: "Alkelezli is charged with aggravated murder, murder, involuntary manslaughter, strangulation or suffocation, two counts of endangering children and tampering with evidence." Al Jabouli is similarly charged. Document 1 also states: "Alkelezli and Al Jabouli are both being held in the Franklin County Jail."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge across the documents. First, the stated motive was financial: Document 3 (10tv.com bond article) quotes the prosecutor stating "she stated that they were moving homes and the baby would have been more expensive." Second, Al Jabouli admitted she could hear the baby crying from inside the trash bag as she carried the bucket to the car, establishing the baby was alive when placed in the bag. Third, the 911 call that initiated the response was not about the baby at all — Document 2 (Yahoo/Dispatch) states: "In a 911 call, Al Jabouli can be heard requesting assistance for her mother, who she says has had a headache 'for a week or so' and is 'not waking up.'" Fourth, despite the murder charges, the coroner's office classified both cause and manner of death as undetermined (Document 3). Fifth, Al Jabouli was a nursing student at Columbus State at the time of the incident (Document 3).
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