Couple got Narcan, didn't call 911 in toddler's suspected overdose death: Docs
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Note: Information from court documents below provide details into a toddler’s death from alleged neglect. Discretion is advised.

HOMER GLEN, Ill. (WGN) — Court documents disclose that an Illinois couple opted to procure additional Narcan via Uber for their 2-year-old, who was allegedly experiencing a life-threatening drug overdose, rather than immediately contacting 911.

On Monday night, first-degree murder charges were filed against Edward Weiher, 49, and his fiancée, Alexa Balen, 28, subsequent to multiple neglect charges they initially faced in November of the previous year.

Authorities in Will County responded to the residence of Weiher and Balen shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Nov. 6, 2024, due to reports concerning an unresponsive child and a potential carbon monoxide issue.

They found Weiher, who owns the home, performing chest compressions on two-year-old Trinity Balen-Weiher on an ottoman in the living room when they arrived. Balen and her 6-year-old daughter were also inside the home.

Police, upon entering, alleged the large residence was trashed with garbage, food, blood and feces on the floor, court documents reveal.

Police also observed a white substance, suspected to be cocaine and heroin, spread throughout the countertops and tables. Additionally, several pieces of burnt tin foil were found on the ground, believed to be used for heroin.

Suspected heroin was also found on a mattress in the living room where Trinity and the rest of the family slept that night, according to authorities.

Edward Weiher (L) and Alexa Balen (R) are pictured in booking photos provided by Porter County Jail. (Porter County Jail)

Weiher, speaking with the police who arrived at the scene, allegedly claimed his handheld meter registered a reading of natural carbon monoxide at 6,000 parts per million, prompting him to turn off the boiler and open the windows. Levels that high would cause residents to be unconscious and possibly die within 20 minutes, according to multiple studies.

A utility company was called to the scene as police continued to investigate. A small gas leak was found in the basement, but it was not determined to be a lethal amount.

Balen was interviewed by detectives first at the scene. She admitted to police that she and Weiher used heroin on a regular basis after initially claiming Trinity stopped breathing due to suspected high levels of carbon monoxide.

Balen said she wanted to call 911 after the couple failed to correctly administer a dose of Narcan, a drug that can reverses the effects of an opioid overdose as it’s happening, to Trinity. She claimed that Weiher said they should not call 911, so they ordered more Narcan through Uber, according to court documents.

The Narcan did not revive Trinity and she stopped breathing, documents stated. Police responded after the incident was reported to 911 operators.

Trinity was transported to the hospital by authorities, where she died.

Weiher, after initially claiming Trinity was unconscious due to carbon monoxide poisoning, ultimately told authorities the same story as Balen.

Police later recovered approximately nine grams of suspected heroin in various locations throughout the home that were allegedly in “reaching distance” of Trinity. A small bag of 21 pills, commonly known as Xanax, were also recovered.

Balen’s 6-year-old daughter was taken into the custody of DCFS. Police said she had fentanyl and cocaine in her system, tests revealed.

Weiher and Balen were taken into custody and faced initial charges of child endangerment, child endangerment resulting in death, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

Detectives conducted a forensic investigation of Balen’s phone and determined that 911 was not called for approximately 3 hours and 41 minutes into Trinity’s suspected overdose.

Additionally, Balen is accused of searching “how to stop an od” and “how to stop an od without naloxone” on her phone during the incident. The digital receipt of the Uber purchase of Narcan was also recovered.

A pathologist concluded that Trinity “would have survived” if EMS was activated when Trinity became symptomatic of an overdose, documents alleged.

A first-degree murder indictment was filed on May 22 for both Weiher and Balen. They were not rebooked on the charge of first-degree murder and a judge granted them pre-trial release.

In the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release, it cited that Weiher and Balen could be a risk to leave the area due to “significant funds,” claiming Weiher made $750,000 in 2021, court documents state.

The couple’s defense attorney told Nexstar’s WGN the funds are in a trust and Weiher and Balen showed up to their prior two court dates knowing detention was a possibility.

Their next court date is scheduled for June 27.

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