Police: Cottage Grove woman facing manslaughter charges started herself on fire in suicide attempt

A Cottage Grove woman charged with manslaughter in the death of her newborn son tried to commit suicide by setting herself on fire this week, according to police.

Emergency crews were sent to a St. Paul Park home about 4 a.m. Monday after someone at the home reported that a woman was burned after attempting suicide by starting herself on fire in the backyard.

A police report identified the victim as Toni A. Medrano, 29, of Cottage Grove. The report says Medrano was burned, and that family members put her in the shower by the time authorities arrived.

Medrano was transported by Cottage Grove ambulance from the home in the 1300 block of Chicago Avenue to Regions Hospital in St. Paul, according to Cottage Grove police.

A Regions spokeswoman said Thursday there was no record of Medrano as a patient; that could mean family requested that her condition not be released or that she was treated and released.

Medrano was charged last month with two counts of second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of her 3-week-old infant son on Nov. 22, 2011. Washington County prosecutors allege that Medrano drank a bottle of vodka in the evening and then fell asleep on a couch with the baby. She awoke hours later and found the baby unresponsive. A medical examiner concluded that the baby died of suffocation.

Medrano’s first court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 3 in Washington County District Court. Medrano has been formally charged but was not jailed pending the upcoming court appearance.

The Medrano case gained national attention last month when it was featured on Nancy Grace’s crime-focused cable TV talk show.

Further information about the attempted suicide was not immediately available. St. Paul Park Police Chief Mike Monahan said the incident is under investigation.

Tags: crime and courts, updates, crime