South St. Paul day care provider, city council member won’t be charged after child ingests meth

Resignation calls after meth case at daycare

Residents of South St. Paul are demanding one of their council members resign her position after a child enrolled at her home daycare tested positive for methamphetamine, forcing it to shut down.

SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Authorities have declined to file criminal charges against South St. Paul City Council Member Pam Bakken after a 3-year-old child ingested methamphetamine at her in-home day care.  

Pam Bakken not charged 

What they're saying:

Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena said, "This decision was made after a careful review of the evidence presented to my office."

A news release from Dakota County said "the state cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the child ingested meth while at Ms. Bakken's daycare given the timing of the onset of symptoms."

Dakota County authorities also pointed out that they are "unable to prove" that Bakken knew meth was in her home and "that she unintentionally or recklessly allowed the child to be placed in a situation likely to harm the child's health, or that she deprived the child of necessary supervision appropriate to his age."

The case was investigated by the Lakeville Police Department to avoid a conflict of interest. 

License suspension amid day care investigation

What's next:

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) suspended Bakken's in-home daycare license at the recommendation of Dakota County Community Services. 

Bakken is appealing the suspension and is due to appear for a contested case hearing on July 31 at 9:30 a.m. in Hastings, according to a news release from Dakota County.

Boy sickened by meth at Bakken's day care

The backstory:

According to police reports, on Dec. 6, 2024, the child was dropped off at Bakken's day care at 7:10 a.m. and was transported to a local preschool at 8:25 a.m. 

After the child returned to daycare at 11:30 a.m., staff noticed he was acting out of character as he was very talkative, fidgety and had a hard time focusing. 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 daycare that tasted "gross" and resembled an "onion crumb."

In a letter to Bakken, DHS officials said the children at her facility were "at an imminent risk of harm."

DHS filed an indefinite suspension of Bakken's day care license on March 4. 

Local perspective:

Residents called for Bakken to resign, but she has not indicated any intention she will do so. This prompted a group of residents to form the Committee to Recall Bakken and file a recall petition. 

The South St. Paul city clerk says the recall petition was accepted on Friday, April 11.