Winona Woman Sentenced in Infant Abuse Case
St Paul (KROC AM News) – A Winona woman charged with abusing her infant son has been placed on probation for three years.
26-year-old Megan Kafer was charged last year after doctors at Children's Hospital in St. Paul discovered she was injecting a laxative into the 9-month-old boy’s feeding tube.
The criminal complaint indicated the infant had been admitted to the hospital because of his inability to gain weight and the hospital staff suspected Kafer was to blame. She pleaded guilty in February and told the court she was dealing with postpartum depression at the time. She said the illness made her think doctors were not treating her baby properly so she made him sicker in an effort to get their attention.
Her husband has custody of the boy and their 3-year-old daughter. Kafer will be permitted supervised visits with the children.
Before sentencing, the judge received letters of support from Kafer’s mother and some friends who indicated her life was turned upside down several years ago as the result of a traumatic traffic accident.
She graduated from Winona State University in 2016 and had planned to become a nurse.
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