Authorities say a routine overnight shift at a North St. Paul group home turned tragic when a 44-year-old resident slipped out into the below-zero cold and was later found dead in the street. According to court filings, the staff member assigned to watch him admits he fell asleep on duty and now faces a felony neglect charge.
Ramsey County prosecutors have charged 29-year-old Abiodun Olalekan Onakoya of Champlin with felony criminal neglect after investigators say he nodded off while providing one-on-one care, according to Pioneer Press. Other staff told investigators they realized the resident was missing and then found Onakoya asleep in a spare bedroom, lights off and door closed, the complaint states.
Investigators’ findings
Police reported there were no footprints in the snow outside the man’s bedroom windows. Nearby camera footage showed him walking past a westbound 17th Avenue camera at about 3:22 a.m., according to the complaint. Investigators say they believe he left the house through the garage and walked roughly four blocks before he was found. Group home records reportedly indicate the resident had left his room on several recent dates.
Charges, provider response, and court status
The complaint quotes Onakoya as saying he knew he was not supposed to sleep while at work and that “he never thought this would happen,” and court records show he was granted conditional release after an initial appearance. The group home is licensed to Paths to Community, and attempts to reach the provider were unsuccessful, as reported by Pioneer Press. Officials said an autopsy is pending…