A Democratic condition senator in Minnesota who was billed with 1st-degree theft claimed on Tuesday that the incident at her stepmother’s property was a misunderstanding stemming from dementia and its involved paranoia.
Sen. Nicole Mitchell, 49, was arrested at a residence in the 700 block of Granger Road in Detroit Lakes early Monday following law enforcement responded about 4:45 a.m. to a homeowner’s 911 call. Mitchell was identified dressed in black clothing and a black hat, and acknowledged that she entered via a basement window, according to a prison grievance.
Mitchell later on denied the burglary allegation in a Facebook put up, crafting that she went to look at on “a liked just one” with Alzheimer’s just after studying of medical facts which caused her “grave issue.”
“Like so quite a few family members, mine is dealing with the agony of viewing a loved a person decrease because of to Alzheimer’s and associated paranoia,” Mitchell wrote.
Mitchell reported she entered the home but did not clarify why she entered without the need of authorization in the center of the evening.
“Unfortunately, I startled this near relative, exacerbating paranoia, and I was accused of thieving, which I certainly deny,” the point out senator wrote.
Mitchell allegedly entered by means of a window and explained to investigators that she was seeking to get her late father’s ashes, pics, a flannel shirt and other items of sentimental value, the prison complaint explained. Mitchell claimed that her stepmother refused to give her the goods.
“I was just striving to get a couple of my dad’s things since you wouldn’t communicate to me any longer,” Mitchell allegedly said to her stepmother as she was arrested, in accordance to the felony criticism, which also quoted her as saying, “I know I did something bad.”
The criticism stated that 1 of the laptops observed in Mitchell’s black backpack, which was propping open a window, belonged to her stepmother. The stepmother told officers that she did not give the laptop computer to Mitchell, although Mitchell claimed if not.
Mitchell thanked her colleagues from both the Democratic and Republican Events for their support, calling the incident “a legitimate tragedy” for her loved ones and hopes that it can remain a private make any difference.
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Mitchell, of Woodbury, signifies District 47 since she was elected to the state Senate in 2022. She was beforehand a meteorologist for KSTP-Television and Minnesota Public Radio, and currently serves as a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard.
The Connected Press contributed to this report.