Tyanna Jabree Graham stood in a Ramsey County courtroom this week and admitted to unintentionally killing a 5-month-old boy she was babysitting last winter.
The 19-year-old St. Paul woman pleaded guilty Monday to one count of second-degree murder in the death of Jamir P. Dunagan.
The infant was found unresponsive Jan. 28 inside a home on the 2200 block of West Seventh Street by police officers called to the residence on a report that a child wasn’t breathing.
The boy was taken by ambulance to Children’s Hospital, where doctors discovered he had suffered a severe brain injury. He died the next day.
The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office determined that his death was caused by injuries inflicted from a physical assault. In addition to bleeding in his brain, the infant had bruises and bleeding on his left lung and a cut on his lip.
When interviewed by police, Graham gave conflicting accounts of his injuries, court documents say.
She eventually admitted to being frustrated that she had to care for the child when she wanted to go out and might have “blacked out” and shaken him for 3 to 5 seconds while she was in that state, the complaint says.
The young woman has no criminal record in Minnesota.
She cried as she made her first court appearance on the charges last winter.
Graham’s sister said at the time that Graham struggles with mental health issues.
She reportedly knew Jamir’s family through a friend.
Graham is expected to be sentenced in November.
Her attorney, public defender Edith Brown, did not immediately respond to a call for comment.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HELP STRESSED CAREGIVERS
Overwhelmed caregivers in need of help can reach out to the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery at 763-591-0100.
The organization offers parents and guardians 24-hour crisis counseling via its hotline, in-person counseling at its facility, up to three days of respite care for children as their guardians regroup, as well as at-home visits to help parents and guardians overcome barriers to care for children.
The latter resources are available only to residents of Hennepin County but staff at the center can help connect outside residents with other resources.
The hotline is available to anyone.
Guardians in need can also call the state’s Crisis Connection for help at 612-379-6363.