Judge: Despite mental illness, Woodbury mom 'criminally liable' for killing daughter, 5, hurting son

A judge has ruled that a Woodbury woman's long-running battle with mental illness does not absolve her of criminal responsibility for fatally attacking her 5-year-old daughter and injuring the girl's older brother in the street outside their home nearly 2 ½ years ago.

About a month ago, Sadiyo I. Mohamed, 34, was found guilty in Washington County District Court of second-degree murder and second-degree assault in connection with the attacks with a foot-long metal pole. She was convicted following a bench trial, during which the facts were agreed to by the defense and prosecution, and the decision was rendered by Judge Douglas Meslow.

Last week, Meslow ruled that "the evidence in this case does not prove beyond a preponderance of evidence that [Mohamed] is not criminally liable by reason of mental illness." Meslow is required to elaborate on his verdict in a filing sometime this week.

In reaction to the judge's finding, County Attorney Kevin Magnuson said in a statement that "while we acknowledge the complexities of mental health, the legal process is designed to weigh all factors, and [the judge's] verdict is a testament to that process. Our heart aches for the family as they navigate this difficult chapter, and we hope they find support and closure they need in the days ahead."

Had the judge ruled otherwise, Mohamed would have been civilly committed indefinitely to a secure hospital run by the state Department of Human Services.

Mohamed is being housed at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter under a civil commitment ahead of sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.

Court records show that Mohamed has struggled with mental illness since at least 2013, when she was civilly committed for a year for treatment. She was similarly committed in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and last discharged in September 2018.

Police responded about 12:45 a.m. on May 26, 2021, to numerous 911 calls from the 400 block of Lake View Alcove and saw Mohamed chasing her screaming son down the street. Officers found her daughter, Kawthar Abdi, on her back in the street. She was bleeding from a head wound and was unresponsive, according to the charges.

The girl had a fractured skull and other serious injuries, and the boy, who was 6 at the time, had a possible broken arm and a large bump above his right eye, the charges read. Kawthar died three weeks later.

Mohamed told police on the day of the attacks that she has bipolar disorder and had been off her medications for a couple of months, according to the criminal complaint.

She went on to say she believed her children were playing games with her, and "she said she wasn't sure if her kids were the devil or a demon, which made her question if she should hurt them or not," the charges read.

A court-ordered examination after Mohamed was charged resulted in the judge ruling she was mentally competent to stand trial.