Minnesota Woman Charged For Allegedly Choking 69-Year-Old Mother To Death

KEY POINTS

The suspect initially said she heard a “thud” and found her mother on the floor
The daughter then changed the story and said her mother attacked her
The daughter called 911 after she realized the victim was bleeding

A Minnesota woman has been arrested for allegedly putting her mother in a chokehold and squeezing her "like a python."

Cassandra Dusold, 33, was charged with second-degree murder Monday for allegedly strangling her 69-year-old mother, Dorothy DuSold, on Jan. 19. Dorothy died in a hospital Saturday after being on the ventilator for three days.

Dusold called 911 around 12.30 p.m. on Jan. 19, and informed the operator her mother was not breathing. The Elko New Market Fire Department and the Scott County deputies responded to the scene in Livery Lane in New Market Township, where they found Dorothy lying on the floor without a pulse, WCCO reported.

First responders administered life-saving measures before rushing her to a hospital.

Cassandra was the only other person in the house at the time. Initially, she told the deputies she and her mother were in the bedroom watching a movie. Cassandra said she went to the kitchen to get tea and heard a "thud." When she went back to the bedroom, she found her mother lying face-down on the floor, Star Tribune reported.

The suspect later changed her story and showed the investigators scratches on her arm, saying her mother attacked her. Cassandra said, following the attack, her "brain went into neutralize." She then put her mother in a chokehold with an arm, and "squeezed like a python." Cassandra told investigators she called 911 when she realized her mother was bleeding.

According to the criminal complaint, medical personnel found the victim's ears bleeding, and significant bruising on her eyes, face, head and one shoulder. She had also sustained scratches on her upper left chest.

Cassandra said she felt "terrible" about the incident and "fully knows right from wrong."

"It's not right what transpired, it's not right at all," the suspect said, KSTP reported.

Dorothy was put on a ventilator after the attack, but displayed no brain function. She was taken off life support Saturday.

Cassandra was currently being held at the Scott County Jail on a $2 million bond.