3-Year-Old Tests Positive For Meth: No Charges For Council Member Who Runs Day Care

DAKOTA COUNTY, MN — A South St. Paul day care provider will not face criminal charges after a 3-year-old child in her care tested positive for methamphetamine, officials announced Tuesday.

Prosecutors said they could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the child ingested the drug while at the day care or that the provider, Pam Bakken, knew meth was present in her home.

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

The Lakeville Police Department investigated the case due to a conflict of interest, as Bakken serves on the South St. Paul City Council. Police later presented their findings to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for charging consideration.

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 day care 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, police said. His mother was alerted 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, police said.

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," according to authorities.

Prosecutors said the state cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the child ingested meth while at Bakken’s day care given the timing of the onset of symptoms.

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.

Even assuming the child ingested meth while at the day care, the state is unable to prove that 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, authorities said.

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.