Mpls. woman who hanged 1-year-old 'couldn't take it anymore'

A Minneapolis woman was charged with attempted murder for hanging a child at her home day care, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said Tuesday. The child was rescued and survived.

Nataliia Karia, 42, was also charged with third-degree assault on the 16-month-old boy and two counts of criminal vehicular operation for hitting a pedestrian and a bicyclist as she fled the scene.

Charging documents say Karia on Friday morning told a father who was dropping off his 3-year-old at the day care "she couldn't take it anymore and come see what she had done. She led him toward the basement and he heard a baby crying, went down the stairs and saw the toddler hanging from a noose" formed from two pairs of child-sized tights hanging from a pipe in the ceiling basement.

The man released the child and fled out the door with him, then contacted his wife who contacted police and drove to Karia's house to watch the other children until police arrived. The baby, who'd only recently begun going to Karia's day care, had severe ligature marks on his neck and face, the county attorney's office said.

Karia fled in her minivan, hitting and injuring two people with her car.

"She rear-ended a car on West 28th Street at Grand Avenue, shoving that car into the car ahead. When the driver of the first car got out to check for damage, Karia pulled into traffic and struck him, dragging him for 10 blocks," leaving him a broken ankle, broken ribs and multiple abrasions, according to the prosecutor's office.

At West 28th Street and Park Avenue, she allegedly struck a bicyclist, who suffered a severely broken leg requiring the insertion of a rod, according to the complaint.

After that, Karia allegedly threatened to jump from the Park Avenue Bridge onto Interstate 94. Citizens held her down until police arrived.

Karia is currently in custody at Hennepin County Medical Center, Freeman's office said. Prosecutors are seeking bail of $2 million.