WCCO EYE4 LOGO WCCO Radio

Latest News

Police: Mother Charged In Baby’s Death Sets Self On Fire

(credit: Washington County Sheriff's Office)

(credit: Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Today's Most Popular Video
Finding Minnesota: Is That A Manure Spreader Or A Hot Rod? Amazon Drops Minn. Affiliate Bloggers To Avoid Tax 1 Year Since Devastating Duluth Flood Skydiver With 1 Arm Going For World Record Video: Bear In A Tree 'Talks' With Dogs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – A mother who was recently charged with accidentally suffocating her infant son while drunk has died after setting herself on fire, police said.

Last month, 29-year-old Toni Medrano, of Cottage Grove, was charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter in the Nov. 22 death of her 3-week-old son.

According to the criminal complaint, Medrano came home that day after having consumed a fifth of vodka and went to sleep on the couch. Her son was lying between her and the back of the couch, police said.

She awoke the next morning to find the child unresponsive. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s office listed the official cause of death as “asphyxia due to being laid upon while sleeping with an adult.”

Medrano was measured with a 0.11 blood alcohol content level at 11 a.m. that morning.

On July 2, St. Paul Park Police and an ambulance from Cottage Grove responded to a medical emergency on the 1300 block of Chicago Avenue.

Authorities said Medrano was found suffering serious, life-threatening burns. She was taken to Regions Hospital, but died as a result of her injuries.

Investigators said Medrano was despondent and suicidal, and had doused herself with a flammable liquid before setting herself on fire.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner is still investigating her death.

If Medrano had been convicted of the charges she faced, she could have been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Listen Live!

Mobile Weather Watcher

Follow CBS Minnesota

Like us on foursquare
wccoradio podcastbanner3 WCCO Radio

Meet WCCO-TV’s Anchors

Amelia Santaniello Frank Vascellaro Chris Shaffer Mark Rosen

TV Schedule

Full Program Grid
7:00 PM The American Baking Competition
8:00 PM Criminal Minds
9:00 PM CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
10:00 PM WCCO 4 News at Ten
10:35 PM Late Show with David Letterman
11:37 PM The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson