A North St. Paul woman was charged with second-degree assault Tuesday in connection with a stabbing at an adult group home in North St. Paul last week.
Shade Jumoke Esho, 40, is listed in court documents as living at the home on 17th Avenue East. On Aug. 17, Esho stabbed another person 12 times in the chest, head, foot and arm, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim, a 47-year-old female, was struggling to breathe and beginning to lose consciousness when police arrived, the criminal complaint said.
Sandy Rosbacka, executive director of ResCare Minnesota, which operates the group home, said that she could not confirm whether the victim was an employee or resident of the facility.
“We’re very concerned, clearly, and working with the police in any way that we can to help them in their investigation,” Rosbacka said.
A witness told police that Esho was “extremely angry” and yelled as she stabbed the victim. As the victim screamed for help and the witness called 911, Esho dropped the knife and went to the basement, according to the charges.
Esho returned later and began stabbing the victim a second time before dropping the knife and returning to the basement, the witness said. Police found Esho in the basement with blood on her hands and shirt, the complaint said.
When Esho was questioned by police, she said that she did not know the answers to all their questions. She later told an officer that she didn’t do anything wrong and that she wouldn’t hurt anyone, the charges said.
Esho is in custody at Regions Hospital for observation. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
ResCare Minnesota serves more than 1,200 people across six service areas, including residential services, Rosbacka said.