Alesha Martin (Washoe County Sheriff’s Office).
A Nevada woman has been sentenced to prison for administering unauthorized medication to her 1-year-old son, according to court records. Alesha Martin, 25, from Reno, was found guilty of mixing crushed pills into her son’s milk and yogurt.
This week, Martin received a 10-year prison sentence, with the possibility of parole after four years, for intentionally poisoning or tampering with food, water, or medicine. This was confirmed by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office report.
The case unfolded after Martin’s son endured several unexplained medical episodes, leading to hospitalizations in both Nevada and Utah. These incidents triggered a criminal investigation, which revealed the presence of an unprescribed drug in the child’s system, officials noted.
The boy’s grandfather alerted authorities, claiming that Martin had poisoned the child on several occasions. These allegations are detailed in charging documents obtained by Utah’s ABC affiliate KSL.
In June 2025, Martin was taken into custody and questioned regarding these allegations. During her police interview, she confessed to administering clonidine pills to her son. Clonidine is commonly prescribed for managing high blood pressure and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the Mayo Clinic.
As stated in the charging documents, Martin admitted during the police interview that she “kept doing it,” as reported by KSL.
“Martin said that on at least four occasions, she administered the prescription to (her son),” the documents said. “Martin then admitted that while (her toddler) was in Utah, she administered the clonidine to (him) on May 14 and again on May 21 while (the boy) was in the hospital.”
Martin claimed that she had been “dosing her son” every six to seven days, according to police. She alleged that she spaced out the dosing so she would “not hurt” him.
‘[Martin] crushed up the pills and mixed them with milk in his sippy cup or yogurt,” the charging documents said, noting how Martin’s son was transported by medical helicopter to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 14, 2025.
“While the victim was in the hospital, the defendant admitted that on two occasions, she administered clonidine to him,” the documents said.
Just one day after his release from the hospital on May 27, 2025, Martin “administered another dose” of clonidine “which landed the victim back in the hospital,” according to police.
“Martin ultimately confessed to administering the medication, acknowledging that her actions caused repeated medical crises that placed the child’s life in danger,” the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.
Martin was charged in Nevada with four counts of willfully poisoning food, drinks, water or medicine and one count of child abuse. She pleaded guilty to willfully poisoning and was sentenced Tuesday in Reno Township Justice Court.
“The detectives’ efforts in this case were critical to bringing the investigation to a successful conclusion,” said Washoe County Sheriff Darin Balaam in a statement. “I want to thank the medical professionals, child welfare partners, and prosecutors whose coordinated efforts helped ensure the child’s safety and accountability in this case.”
