Washington County Man Pleads Guilty To Murder Of Toddler

STILLWATER, MN — Washington County Attorney Pete Orput Saturday announced that Jonathon David Wierstad, 29, 0f Willernie pleaded guilty to murdering a 16-month-old child. He was sentenced immediately to 25 years in prison.

According to the complaint filed in the case, police and medics were dispatched to a residence in Willernie on an unresponsive 16-month-old child in the care of Wierstad. The child was transported to Gillette Children’s Hospital where emergency brain surgery was performed.

The child had massive swelling and bleeding in the brain. The attending surgeon told authorities that the injuries were inconsistent with Wierstad’s story that the child fell down the stairs. The child died on June 3, 2017.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner Michael McGee concluded that the child’s death was a homicide caused by blunt force trauma.

Wierstad was on probation at the time for a substantial battery conviction from St. Croix County, Wisconsin, where he caused permanent brain damage to his then girlfriend’s 3-year-old, having caused a closed head injury with brain bleeding and swelling.

“Taking one’s anger out on someone else is never okay," Orput said in a statement. "Taking it out on a totally defenseless baby offends the sensibilities of us all. No amount of prison time can adequately offset this defendant’s actions. However, this office continues to make every attempt to bring justice to the family."

Photo by Renee Schiavone/Patch