LA CROSSE, Wis. (Court TV) — A Wisconsin woman faces a potential life sentence if she’s convicted of killing her boyfriend’s young son.

Josie Dikeman appears in court on the first day of her trial. (Court TV)

Josie Dikeman, 34, has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree intentional homicide, chronic neglect of a child resulting in death and repeated physical abuse of a child causing death.

Dikeman is charged with the death of her boyfriend’s son, 6-year-old Alexavier “AJ” Pedrin, who died in February 2023 of blunt force trauma. A medical examiner determined the child had multiple bruises on his face, scalp and neck, along with internal injuries that included a torn liver and swelling to his brain. Xanax was also allegedly found in his blood.

“He was a typical little kid that just had fun,” Pedrin’s grandmother, Cheryl Anderson, told WXOW. “He had cousins the same age; they were like the three musketeers. It’s hard seeing my other grandsons without him…I’m just so sad what he went through.”

Prosecutors said that Dikeman was the only adult home with the child at the time of his death. Pedrin had previously been admitted to the hospital the month before his death with a femur fracture. At the time, a doctor expressed concerns about potential abuse.

Online records reviewed by Court TV indicate that Dikeman had requested to move her trial out of La Crosse County, but the judge denied the motion.

DAILY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 4 – 5/4/26

• LIVESTREAM: WI v. Josie Dikeman – Day 4 | Deadly Home Homicide
• Loraley Pedrin, married to Derek Pedrin
  • Has known Derek for almost 10 years.
  • She heard Alex saying she was waiting for Josie to go to sleep so he could go look for something to eat in the kitchen.
  • Dikeman said there was a bag of medication she would hide from the kids and that it was out and (Alex) must have gotten into it.
  • She knows Dikeman took pain pills; she would get them from a man named Ted.
  • She said Derek was verbally abusive to Dikeman.
  • She trusted Dikeman with her children, but not Derek, because they were afraid of him.
  • She saw the victim being treated poorly by Derek, not Dikeman.
  • Currently married to Derek, but he lives with his mother.
  • WATCH: Woman Hid Pills From Kids Before 6-Year-Old’s Death: Friend
• Deputy Darsten Jahr, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office
  • Responded to the scene after Dikeman called 911.
  • Dikeman’s 911 call is played for the court.
    • MORE: Josie Dikeman tells dispatchers ‘I found him on the ground’ in 911 call
  • Dikeman said that the victim had gotten into a bag of medications.
  • A white, clear, frothy substance came out of Alexavier’s mouth when he was rolled over. When Jahr started compressions for CPR, a black fluid came out of the victim’s mouth.
  • Unclear when the medication bottle got next to the victim or who last touched it.
  • A white fragment on a pillow could have been a pill.
  • Photo shown of a medicine bottle found near Alexavier.
  • WATCH: ‘Alex Got Into My Medication’: 6-Year-Old Was Unresponsive As Authorities Arrived

DAY 3 – 5/1/26

• LIVESTREAM: WI v. Josie Dikeman – Day 3 | Deadly Home Homicide
• Derek Pedrin returned to the stand.
  • The jury saw a video showing Pedrin and Alex, with Alex in tears and being yelled at.
  • Admitted to telling people that he would kill Dikeman if she wasn’t convicted.
  • In recordings, Dikeman never said she hurt the victim.
  • Denied using xanax before the child’s death.
  • WATCH: Father in Child Death Case Denies Xanax Use, Shifts Blame to Girlfriend
• Deputy Joseph Kernin, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office
  • Dispatched to check on the welfare of a 6-year-old on Feb. 10 and to look for his father who was out on bond and not supposed to be there.
  • Thought he saw Pedrin go into the kitchen and then the living room.
  • Testified to bodyworn camera video recorded from that day.
  • Saw Alexavier sleeping in the home; the child did not appear to have been crying or have any redness on him. He did notice a small injury to the corner of his eye that appeared to be days old.
• Deputy Robert Paff La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office
  • Responded to a welfare call for a child; had no contact with Derek Pedrin.
  • Left the residence and went up the hill to continue watching the home; asked Josie and requested her help talking to Pedrin. A recording of that call was played in court.
  • Pedrin came out and talked to them; he thought he smelled like alcohol.
  • Played a 911 call from November that led to Pedrin’s arrest.
  • No contraband was found on Pedrin when he was arrested.

DAY 2 – 4/29/26

• LIVESTREAM: WI v. Josie Dikeman – Day 2 | Deadly Home Homicide
• Derek Pedrin, victim’s father
  • Described his son as fun and loving.
  • He and Josie Dikeman had a blended family. She had a son from a previous relationship, and he had two children from a previous relationship. Together, he and Dikeman had two children. He has another child with a third woman with whom he is still in a romantic relationship.
  • Admitted to having a problem with alcohol. Drinking makes him angry and agitated. He has been aggressive toward Dikeman while drinking but denied ever being violent toward his children.
  • Videos shown to the jury show violent arguments with Dikeman; one video showed a child claiming his father hit him.
    • WATCH: Explosive Video: Child’s Father Yells ‘You’re the F****** Crazy One’
  • Claimed he purchased drugs, including Xanax, for Dikeman.
  • On Feb. 10, he went to the house after work despite a no-contact order. He saw Alexavier throwing up. The police came and arrested him for violating the order. He called Dikeman from jail that night and she did not report any problems.
  • The next morning, he was told his son had died by his family, who came to the jail to tell him.
  • Recorded conversations with Dikeman to help law enforcement. In each conversation, she denied any knowledge about how the child died.
  • During cross-examination, Pedrin said that he never saw Dikeman act violently towards his children and never saw Alexavier starved or lacking food.
  • MORE: Recording reveals Josie Dikeman told boyfriend ‘I’m free’ after his son’s death
  • WATCH: ‘I Threatened It’: Murdered Child’s Father Testifies on Abuse Allegations

DAY 1 – 4/28/26

• LIVESTREAM: WI v. Josie Dikeman – Day 1 | Deadly Home Homicide
• The prosecution delivered opening statements.
  • Alexavier was killed when the defendant put her hands around his neck and choked him, and hit him in the face.
  • The child had multiple blunt force injuries to his head and face as well as bruises.
  • Xanax was in Alexavier’s bloodstream
  • On Feb. 11, Dikeman called 911 and said she needed an ambulance for her son, who was on the ground and not breathing. She said there was a bag of drugs on the floors he must have gotten into.
  • Dikeman was talking to another man from 6p to midnight, exchanging 100 texts and setting up a date for the next day.
  • Derek Pedrin, Alexavier’s father, was a domestic abuser.
  • WATCH: Murdered 6-Year-Old Was Battered, Bruised By Dad’s Girlfriend: State
• The defense delivered opening statements.
  • Alexavier’s father was the one who was hurting the child and the one to blame for his death; he made the lives of his children and Josie a living hell.
  • Beatings were caught on video.
  • The children would sleep in Josie’s room because they were scared. of their father; he would stand over them when he was drunk and abuse them each night.
  • WATCH: Murdered Child’s Father Was The One Behind His Death: Defense