Disabled 13-year-old girl died after her mother drank 1.75-liter bottle of vodka and tampered with child’s life support device, allowing oxygen levels to plummet; mother sentenced

Minnesota – In a shocking case in Minnesota, a 39-year-old mother, identified as E. Nelson, was sentenced to over a decade in prison for the death of her disabled 13-year-old daughter, identified as K. Larson. Nelson faced justice for her actions that led to the young Larson’s untimely death in June 2020.

The distressing events unfolded while Nelson was the sole caregiver for Larson, as her husband was away on a fishing trip and their other child was staying with a family friend. According to court documents, Nelson manipulated her daughter’s life-sustaining oxygen monitoring device, turning off alarms and altering settings to prevent alerts as Larson’s oxygen levels dropped critically.

Judge H.. Schultz delivered Nelson’s sentence on Monday, mandating 22 years (261 months) in a state correctional facility. The sentence reflects the gravity of the crime, with Nelson also ordered to pay over $12,000 in restitution. Having pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, Nelson’s plea acknowledges her role in the tragic death of her daughter. Minnesota state law dictates that Nelson will likely serve two-thirds of her sentence — approximately 14 1/2 years — behind bars, with the remainder on supervised release.

Court records detail that from June 18 to June 21, 2020, Nelson was at home with Larson. The situation took a dire turn as the oxygen and pulse monitoring equipment signaled a critical drop in levels, which Nelson repeatedly silenced. She is reported to have turned off the device multiple times, allowing her daughter’s condition to worsen without intervention.

The situation was exacerbated by Nelson’s lack of responsiveness when a family friend, unable to contact her, visited the house to find it locked and inaccessible. Nelson later texted the friend, claiming she had performed CPR for an hour and was awaiting police — a claim contradicted by subsequent events and investigations. Authorities were eventually called to the scene on the afternoon of June 21, where they discovered Larson unresponsive and cold to the touch. The medical team’s findings indicated that she had been deceased for several hours, a stark contradiction to Nelson’s account of recent resuscitation efforts.

Investigations revealed that Nelson’s phone was actively used during the time she claimed to be performing CPR. Further inquiries confirmed that the monitoring device flatlined early in the morning, yet emergency services were not alerted until hours later. Nelson’s physical appearance also did not match someone who had exerted herself in life-saving efforts. During police questioning, Nelson’s narrative did not align with the evidence gathered from medical and device data. She eventually admitted to purchasing a 1.75-liter bottle of vodka and drank it to the point of blacking out, not remembering significant periods of that fateful weekend.

This case has cast a somber light on the responsibilities and mental health challenges faced by caregivers. Judge Schultz remarked on the profound sadness and outrage over the circumstances leading to Larson’s death, emphasizing the betrayal of a parent’s duty to protect their child. As the community and family grapple with the aftermath, the focus also shifts to the well-being and future of Nelson’s remaining children, underscoring the lasting impact of this tragedy.