A Saint Joseph woman threatened to slit a man’s throat and took a vehicle without consent before confronting hospital staff in Saint Cloud, according to charges.
Bethany Faith Durdall, 34, faces charges of threats of violence and theft of a motor vehicle.
According to the complaint, law enforcement responded to the Saint Cloud Hospital on September 27, 2026, after concerns were raised about a newborn who had not received medical care since being born at home about two weeks earlier. According to the complaint, Durdall had given birth to the child at home about two weeks earlier, paramedics had previously come to the home, and the child was never brought to a doctor or hospital for further evaluation.
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The victim told officers that throughout the pregnancy, Durdall’s behavior and threats escalated whenever the topic of bringing the child to the hospital came up. The complaint states Durdall made threats to the victim before giving birth when they discussed seeking medical care for the child. The victim said he spoke with both his family and Durdall’s family to make a plan to bring the child to the hospital.
On September 27, Durdall left her residence with family members. After she left, the victim brought the child to the hospital for evaluation and his family also went to the hospital. When Durdall returned home and discovered the victim and the child were gone, she escalated further, sending the victim about 50 text messages and calling him repeatedly.
The complaint states the victim’s family recorded a phone conversation between Durdall and the victim in which Durdall was yelling, out of breath and threatened multiple times to slit the victim’s throat. Durdall then took a vehicle belonging to another man from his residence in Saint Joseph without his consent and drove to the hospital.
At the hospital, Durdall exhibited erratic behavior, yelling and refusing to cooperate with law enforcement and hospital staff. A social worker at the hospital contacted the Saint Cloud Police Department due to Durdall’s actions.
The charges allege Durdall threatened the victim with violence and took a vehicle without permission in connection with the events surrounding the child’s hospital visit.
The charges were filed Tuesday, September 29, in Stearns County District Court.
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Felony Stalking Charges Filed After GPS Trackers Found on Woman’s Vehicle • 2 Juveniles Arrested After Group Assault on Boy in Saint Cloud • Saint Cloud Man Charged With Kidnapping, Threatening Gas Station Clerk
Jurisdictional Context
Stearns County encompasses Saint Cloud and is the largest county in central Minnesota. The Stearns County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions through the Seventh Judicial District at the Stearns County Courthouse in Saint Cloud.
