A Homer Glen father was ordered held in custody Thursday by a Will County judge in connection with the Nov. 7 death of his 2-year-old daughter, who police say was found living in filth and among drugs.
Parents Edward Weiher, 49, and Alexa Balen, 27, are both charged with a felony count of endangering the life or health of a child, two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and a misdemeanor count of endangering the life or health of a child, according to the Will County sheriff’s police and Will County court records.
Sheriff deputies responded to a call at 11:37 p.m. Nov. 6 for a girl who was unresponsive, police said.
Assistant State’s Attorney Amanda Tasker told Judge Daniel Rippy the parents delayed getting help for their 2-year-old daughter, Trinity Balen-Weiher, for nearly four hours while Balen searched online how to stop an overdose.
When Balen told Weiher that Trinity was limp and she was concerned, he responded that she was fine, Tasker said in court.
When police arrived to the 12200 block of West Thorn Apple Drive in Homer Glen, police found the million dollar home in deplorable conditions with heroin, cocaine and Xanax pills easily accessible to both Trinity and Balen’s 6-year-old daughter, Tasker said.
The home was covered with garbage, spoiled food, feces, dirty diapers, bugs, blood and drug paraphernalia, Tasker said.
A McDonald’s chocolate milk bottle was found on a countertop next to suspected cocaine, she said. Drugs were found on the mattresses, she said.
“It was in a disgusting condition,” said Tasker, who submitted photos of the house to the judge.
A video game area, however, was in “pristine” condition, she said.
“He has no regard for human life,” Tasker said.
When the sheriff deputies arrived, they saw Weiher giving chest compressions to his daughter, police said. The parents told police they suspected it was carbon monoxide poisoning, Tasker said.
The sheriff’s department said Homer Township Fire Protection District and Nicor were able to confirm there was no gas leak inside of the home.
When detectives questioned the parents, they changed their story about possible carbon monoxide poisoning and said Trinity may have overdosed on heroin, court records show.
Several used cans of Narcan, which is administered to reverse overdoses, were found near Trinity, Tasker said. In one case, Weiher did not know how to administer the Narcan and sprayed it outside of Trinity’s nostrils, Tasker said.
Tasker told the court the parents delayed calling 911 for nearly four hours while they did a Google search on how to stop an overdose and to have more Narcan delivered.
Trinity was taken by ambulance to Silver Cross Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12:24 a.m. Nov. 7, the sheriff’s department said.
Balen’s 6-year-old daughter was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for a medical exam, which showed fentanyl and cocaine in her system, court records show.
Balen was taken to a hospital for a medical condition, and will be transported to the adult detention facility on an arrest warrant when she is released, the sheriff’s department said.
Public defender Andrew Sanchez argued against keeping Weiher in custody, saying he is a small business owner, is not violent and no weapons were used in Trinity’s death. Sanchez said Weiher had medical issues that would not make him a flight risk.
But Rippy said Weiher poses a significant risk to his surviving children and to the community, and ordered he remain in custody. A hearing has been set for Dec. 3.
Weiher faces between two to 10 years in prison for felony endangerment, Tasker said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.