Northfield Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter in Death of 17-Month-Old Son

A Northfield woman pleaded guilty on Friday to failing to contributing to the 2009 death of her 17-month-old son by neglecting to seek medical care for him.

, formerly Hokanson, 21, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter (child neglect) in connection with the death of her son, Nicholas Arthur Miller, according to a news release from the Dakota County Attorney.

Ohmann's ex-husband and Nicholas's stepfather, Tylar Hokanson, of first-degree murder and second-degree murder in connection with Nicholas's death. He is serving life in prison.

A pre-sentencing investigation and psychological evaluation for Ohmann is set for June 12, the release says.

Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said in the release that Ohmann should have recognized that Nicholas needed medical care after Hokanson abused Nicholas, and that taking Nicholas to get medical treatment could have prevented his death.

“While Melissa Ohmann did not physically injure her son or observe Tylar Hokanson physically abuse her son, it became obvious that Nicholas needed medical care in the day’s following the traumatic injuries he suffered...." Backstrom said in the release.

According to the criminal complaint, paramedics were called to a house in Maiden Rock, WI, on June 23, 2009, on a report of an infant—Nicholas Miller—who wasn't breathing and had bruises on his face. Nicholas died that day at the hospital.

The medical examiner reported that Nicholas sustained multiple injuries in Northfield, here Ohmann and Hokanson lived, between two and four days before his death the complaint says.

A police investigation determined that Hokanson shook Nicholas at least 15 times on June 19, 2009, after which Ohmann allegedly entered the room and took Nicholas.

Ohmann and Hokanson allegedly said they saw Nicholas's health decline over the next few days, according to the complaint; they said last time he showed symptoms like trouble breathing, body odor and discomfort, doctors gave them a nebulizer treatment.

They brought Nicholas to Maiden Rock, where Hokanson's parents lived, and gave him a nebulizer treatment, the complaint says. On June 23, he started turning blue and they attempted CPR before calling emergency personnel.

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