A mom in Alabama is facing multiple criminal charges after the death of her son. Kaitlynn Dominick brought the toddler to the hospital, and he died shortly afterward. His death, along with some tests that had been run, made doctors believe there could have been foul play, which prompted a call to police. Over the course of the next few weeks, police interviewed Dominick and those close to her to try and figure out what led to her son’s death.
Eventually, they learned she had something to do with it and had allegedly messed with her son’s feeding tube. Now, she’s facing the consequences of her actions.
Taking him to the hospital led to the investigation.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Alabama Department of Human Resources, or DHR, on May 5, 2026, a news release announced. A doctor from USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital had reached out to the state department regarding a 17-month-old child who had received medical treatment.
On May 4, 22-year-old Dominick brought her son to the hospital and he died the following morning. Lab results alarmed hospital staff, which prompted the doctor to make a mandatory report to DHR, the release shared.
During the initial investigation, investigators learned that the boy had a medical condition that required a surgically implanted feeding tube.
“Dominick provided inconsistent statements regarding the incident,” the release read. “During follow-up, Dominick admitted to mixing a liquid solution and administering it to her son, leading to his death.”
On May 26, Dominick was charged with manslaughter and aggravated child abuse involving a child under the age of 6.
The investigation took about three weeks before charges were made.
“It started as a general investigation to find out what caused this child’s death, but during the course of this investigation, it then turned criminal,” said Captain Justin Correa with the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office , according to WKRG.
“We think that this child has had a feeding tube for long enough, and Miss Dominick is educated enough to know what she is doing, and this is more of an intentional route rather than accidental,” he added.
Kaitlynn Dominick made her first appearance in court on May 27 via video from the Baldwin County Jail, FOX 10 reported. During her bond hearing, Baldwin County Chief Assistant District Attorney Teresa Heinz said the mother put some kind of chemical compound in the boy’s feeding tube.
Although Heinz said she was “not going to elaborate anything further than a chemical compound,” the criminal complaint filed with the court, which FOX 10 reviewed, noted that the mixture was table salt and another liquid.
During the hearing, Heinz claimed that Dominick needed a break from caring for her son, prompting her to put the liquid in his feeding tube.
“I do believe she did it in order, because she knew that if the child was taken to the hospital that there would be adequate nursing staff, adequate doctors, adequate medical professionals who would then be tending to that child,” she said.
Dominick was given a $75,000 bond.
She was also put on GPS house arrest, WKRG reported. Her other bond conditions include not having contact with children under 18, she can’t leave the state of Alabama, and she must surrender her passport.
“I believe the charge is appropriate at this time was that she recklessly caused the death of, as far as what the investigation is going to show later on, we are at the very beginning stage of that,” Heinz said.
She also called Dominick’s actions “purposeful and not accidental,” adding, “she knew that this would harm the child.”
