Update: Cass Lake Woman Charged with Murder of 23-Month-Old Son

Larena Jackson (Credit: Cass County Sheriff’s Office)

Updated: Friday, August 25, 3:00 p.m. (Updates with the death of the victim and the amended murder charge for Jackson.)

A 30-year-old Cass Lake woman is now charged with murdering her 23-month-old son.

Larena Renee Jackson was originally charged with second-degree attempted murder with intent – not premeditated, first-degree assault – great bodily harm, malicious punishment of a child under four years of age, and fleeing a peace officer.

Lakeland News learned today that the victim suffered a cardiac arrest event and died on August 24th.

Because of that the attempted murder charge has now been amended to a charge of 2nd Degree Murder-With Intent-Not Premeditated.

The boy was found severely injured at Jackson’s home on White Stone Loop in rural Cass Lake on Aug. 19. According to the criminal complaint in the case, the boy was transported to a Fargo hospital with numerous life-threatening injuries. He is in critical condition with injuries non-compatible with life.

Jackson allegedly told police the boy had been run over by a vehicle driven by the boy’s father, but investigation proved that was not possible. Investigators then executed a search warrant at the home. Numerous areas of blood were located in a bedroom with a large amount of blood on a mattress, and at least two indentations were located in the sheetrock in the bedroom wall above the bed that would be consistent with the shape of a toddler’s head.

Jackson was later arrested after she was reportedly found hiding in a friend’s home on Aug. 22. She is currently in custody at the Cass County Jail.