The following is based on your complainant’s review of the reports of other officers and your complainant’s own investigation: On the afternoon of March 13, 2025, St. Paul Police responded to an elementary school for a report of assault on a student by the student’s parent. A social worker told officers that an 11-year old had reported that the child’s mother had grabbed her neck and slammed her to the floor. Officers met with the child, CLW. Her mother is the defendant, SONIA RENEE DUGAS ([DOB REDACTED]). CLW was crying and having difficulty discussing the incident.
She said that the prior night (March 12), while at the defendant’s home on Dunlap St. In St. Paul, Ramsey County, the defendant became angry at her as she (CLW) tried make eggs on the stove. She said that the defendant yelled at her, and she tried to walk away. But she said that the defendant first blocked her from leaving, then grabbed her by the neck with both hands and “threw” her to the floor. (She clarified that her breathing was not restricted.) She said that the defendant also called her “useless” and other insults.
She said that as she cried that night, she told herself that she couldn’t “do this anymore,” referring to being with the defendant. Officers observed and photographed a red scratch on CLW’s neck; she said that it was from the defendant’s “long nails.” Patrol officers reached the defendant by phone. She confirmed that she had become upset at CLW for leaving eggs unattended while cooking them. She said that CLW attempted to leave the room and that, as a form of discipline, she (the defendant) struck the child [NAME REDACTED]. She said that she wanted CLW to live with the child’s father.
About a week later, the defendant spoke with a child [NAME REDACTED]. She now denied having put her hands on CLW’s neck; she said that in fact she had hit the child’s arm, though she denied that this had resulted in any marks. Several weeks later, the defendant spoke with an investigator. She now said that in fact, she had placed her hands on CLW’s neck after all. She said that in response to “backtalk” from CLW, she had: “grabbed her [] shirt to hem her up, like how boys do another boy… and it just so happened… I accidentally, like, my hand went around her throat…” The defendant said that her nails had caused the mark on CLW’s neck, adding, “I don’t even know how the mark got behind her neck,” since she was “just trying to grab [CLW’s] shirt.” She said that it was her understanding that CLW was still frightened of her.
In a follow up interview with a child [NAME REDACTED], CLW reiterated her earlier statements, saying again that the defendant had “grabbed [her] by the neck and walked [her] backwards,” resulting in the scratch. The defendant's criminal record includes convictions, each from about 15 years ago, for Violation of Domestic Abuse No Contact Order – Gross Misdemeanor, Violation of Order for Protection – Misdemeanor, and Falsely Reporting a Crime.
