Burnsville Mother is Facing Charges For Manslaughter and Child Endangerment in Death of 3-Year-Old Son
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA: A Burnsville woman is facing charges for second-degree manslaughter and multiple counts of child endangerment following the death of her three-year-old son and the discovery that her four other children were also severely malnourished, according to charges filed by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.
Saynab Abdullahi Dahir, 35, is facing six criminal counts, including second-degree manslaughter, felony stalking, and four counts of gross misdemeanor child endangerment. A nationwide warrant for her arrest was issued on July 8, 2025, and served just two days later. Dahir posted $50,000 bail with conditions on July 10. Her next court appearance is scheduled for August 6 at 1:30 PM in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.
According to the criminal complaint from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office, the charges stem from an extensive investigation that began on June 4, 2023, when Dahir's 3-year-old son collapsed at a park in Eden Prairie and was found by first responders to be in cardiac arrest. Paramedics noted the boy was severely malnourished and dehydrated, with visible ribs, swollen joints, poor muscle development, and multiple broken or missing teeth. He was transported to Children’s Hospital but never regained consciousness, dying on July 13, 2023.
An autopsy listed the boy’s cause of death as complications of anoxic encephalopathy due to cardiac arrest, with malnutrition and an untreated urinary tract infection identified as contributing factors. He weighed just 25 pounds at the time of death—below the 1st percentile for his age, according to court documents.
The criminal complaint states that Dahir told investigators she believed her son was recovering from a minor illness and took him to the beach to "sweat it out" in the sun. However, doctors expressed concern that the level of malnutrition could not be attributed solely to a few days of poor appetite. During the child’s hospitalization, staff observed Dahir repeatedly interfere with medical equipment and handle the child in ways that impeded his care—actions that eventually led to restrictions on her hospital visits.
Court documents state that following these events, Burnsville police conducted welfare checks on Dahir’s four other children, aged 5 to 9 at the time. Investigators discovered all of them were significantly underweight, and they were immediately placed in the care of their father, who had recently returned from an extended trip abroad. Under his care, the children began to gain weight rapidly.
According to the court documents, interviews with the children revealed disturbing allegations that Dahir had forced them to vomit after eating, often by sticking her fingers—or other objects—down their throats. They described this practice as routine, sometimes occurring multiple times per day, and said they were told it would keep them from getting sick so they wouldn't need to see a doctor. One of the children said Dahir “liked them being skinny.” One daughter reported that Dahir sat on her chest and forced her to vomit, while the youngest child, then five years old, demonstrated how Dahir choked him with her hands and fingernails to induce vomiting. The children also said they had witnessed their mother force their younger brother, the now-deceased 3-year-old, to vomit even after he became visibly ill in June 2023.
Prosecutors allege Dahir withheld food, failed to provide medical care, and subjected her children to repeated physical mistreatment that left all five in a state of severe malnourishment. Her actions are believed to have contributed directly to the death of her youngest child.
During a post-arrest interview earlier this month, court records state that Dahir reportedly downplayed her conduct, citing mental illness and claiming she had “cured herself” through natural food remedies. Prosecutors noted that one of her relatives previously had parental rights terminated for starving children, and that Dahir has ties to family members outside the U.S., increasing her flight risk.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office originally requested $750,000 bail due to the seriousness of the allegations and that she was a flight risk with numerous members of her family being outside the country, but the judge ultimately set bail at $50,000 with conditions, which Dahir posted on July 10.
If convicted of the most serious charge—second-degree manslaughter while committing child neglect—Dahir faces up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000.
This article provides an overview of the allegations against Dahir, detailing the charges, evidence, and potential legal outcomes. The community is reminded that charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Further updates on this case will depend on the progress of the legal proceedings.
Written by: Will Wight
