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Police: Mpls. Woman Allegedly Killed Her 2-Year-Old Child

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minneapolis woman allegedly killed her 2-year-old child, apparently while intoxicated, police say.

Deqa Mohamed Yusuf, 23, has been charged with second degree murder as her baby died on June 17 after being in intensive care since the May 31 incident, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.

According to police, witnesses said Yusuf had made a mention of "killing her children and then committing suicide" on the night of the incident. Two witnesses said Yusuf had a history of hitting her children, sometimes while under the influence of alcohol.

Police said that at approximately midnight on May 31 they responded to a "baby not breathing" 911 call on the 1900 block of Second Street Northeast. After officers arrived, they saw Yusuf leaning over her non-responsive 2-year-old. While trying to give the baby CPR, police had to keep the mother from intervening.

According to authorities, Yusuf appeared to be intoxicated. Witnesses said she had been drinking that night.

Police also noticed that the bathtub was completely full with water.

Yusuf said she had been giving the child a bath and noticed that the 2-year-old defecated in the bathtub. The mother said she left momentarily to get something to clean the child with, and upon returning, she found her baby not breathing.

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