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Charges state MN woman drowned baby, discarded body in dumpster
The woman allegedly admitted to drowning the child in her hotel bathtub before wrapping up his body, puting it in a backpack and throwing it in a dumpster.
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A Minnesotan woman is facing charges after allegedly drowning her baby and throwing his body in a dumpster.
According to the charges, MPD officers were called to Children’s Hospital on March 6 on reports of a missing child.
Upon arrival, officers found 20-year-old Esperanza Harding, who claimed her child died of natural causes in the hospital on March 1. However, the hospital had no record of the child being admitted or dying in the hospital and the medical examiner’s office had no record of the child.
Harding allegedly provided the officers with inconsistent information, but officials said she finally went on to admit the child died in a Bloomington Hotel on Feb. 28.
Harding allegedly told the officers that she was trying to take a bath on Feb 28. when the baby began crying.
The crying child upset Harding and she allegedly drowned the boy, before taking a picture of his body in the tub, which was recovered from her phone.
After the boy’s death, court documents allege Harding said she wrapped up his body, put it in a backpack and threw it in a dumpster.
In a later interview with the Bloomington Police, Harding added that the man she was dating, Edwin Trudeau, didn’t like her child and he wanted her to put the boy up for adoption.
She allegedly texted Trudeau throughout the incident, including a message that read “Im about to do something bad, Please answer me, He going to no be here much longer.”
Trudeau visited Harding after the boy had been killed but did not call the authorities, according to his separate charging documents.
Trudeau is charged as an accomplice in the incident.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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The suspect was 17 at the time of the shooting, but he was charged as an adult.
A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, more than two years after a drive-by shooting left a 17-year-old dead.
Casimir Semlak, of St. Paul, was charged with shooting 17-year-old Anthony Skelley in May 2022 during an apparent drug deal in South St. Paul. Police say a search of Skelley’s cell phone uncovered that the last number he was in communication with was linked to the suspect.
Semlak was also 17 at the time but was charged in the adult court system.
Following his death, family members told KARE 11 in a statement that Skelley was a junior attending St. Paul Public Schools’ Gateway to College program, and had “a beautiful soul with a cheerful presence and a joyful spirit.”
Semlak will be sentenced in January 2025.
The Moorhead Police Department said Paige Reinke was last seen Sunday wearing a blue sweatshirt and gray sweatpants.
MOORHEAD, Minn. — Officials are asking for the public’s help locating a 17-year-old Moorhead girl that is believed to be endangered.
According to the Moorhead Police Department, Paige Reinke was last seen Sunday near the 2600 block of River Drive North wearing a blue sweatshirt and gray sweatpants. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) describes her as 5-foot-4, 155 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Moorhead Police Department at 701-451-7660.
“The Power of a Transformed Woman” is Twyla Martin’s raw, unapologetic story about strength, transformation and rising above trauma.
ST PAUL, Minn. — A Minnesota author and motivational speaker has written a new book and is holding a panel discussion.
“The Power of a Transformed Woman” is Twyla Martin’s raw, unapologetic story about strength, transformation, and rising above trauma.
On Friday, Nov. 1, Martin will speak with a panel at CSPS Hall in St. Paul about her book release.
- Twyla Martin – Author
- Nekima Levy Armstrong – Civil rights attorney, activities, and community organizer
- Chantel Sings – Powerhouse vocalist, songwriter, and performer
- Ashley DuBose – Singer, songwriter
- Jamela Pettiford – Vocalist and actress
- Lissa Jones – Speaker, advocate for African American history and culture
- Robin Hickman-Winfield – Producer, filmmaker, and CEO of SoulTouch Productions
- Alana Carrington – Creative professional with expertise in the arts, education, and community development
