The Dakota County Attorney’s Office will not file criminal charges against South St. Paul City Council member Pam Bakken, saying there was no proof that a child at her daycare at ingested meth while under her care.
“This decision was made after a careful review of the evidence presented to my office,” said County Attorney Kathy Keena in a press release Tuesday.
The state could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the methamphetamine was ingested at Bakken’s in-home daycare, given the timing of the onset of symptoms.
South St. Paul City Council member Pam Bakken. (Courtesy of the City of South St. Paul)
“In general, symptoms like what the child displayed — talkativeness, restlessness and vomiting — would be expected to occur within one to three hours after ingesting meth, according to poison control,” the press release said. “Even assuming the child ingested meth while at the day care, the state is unable to prove that Ms. Bakken knew it was present in her home and that she intentionally or recklessly allowed the child to be placed in a situation likely to harm the child’s health, or that she deprived the child necessary supervision appropriate to his age.”
The press release gave the following additional details: On 7:10 a.m., Dec. 6, 2024, the child was dropped off at Bakken’s day care and then taken to preschool at 8:25 a.m. After preschool, the child returned to the day care at 11:30 a.m.
Staff at the day care noticed he was “acting out of character as he was very talkative, fidgety and had a hard time focusing,” the press release said. “The child was then served lunch and vomited shortly thereafter. His mother was advised that he was ill and was asked to pick him up. The child was brought to a local hospital as he continued to display the same abnormal behaviors. During the examination, the child tested positive for methamphetamine and amphetamines. He later told his mother that he ate something he found on a rug in the bathroom at day care that tasted ‘gross’ and resembled an ‘onion crumb.’”
Bakken’s in-home day care license remains suspended by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, following the recommendation by Dakota County Community Services. Bakken is appealing the suspension and a contested case hearing is scheduled for July 31.
A group calling for Bakken to step down previously filed paperwork seeking her official recall as a council member.
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