“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare” — Champlin woman convicted of assault that left her baby in a coma

A Champlin woman will spend the next few years in prison for an assault that seriously injured a 6-month-old baby who was under her supervision at a home daycare.

In October of last year, Michelle Maree Holte, 59, was charged with one count of first-degree assault, to which she later pleaded guilty.

On Friday morning, Holte was sentenced to 91 months in prison, or just over seven and a half years, for the attack that seriously injured baby Nolan.

Court records indicate part of Nolan's skull was removed to relieve brain swelling, and some of the injuries will likely have long-term medical consequences. He was placed in a medically induced coma after doctors discovered he was suffering from a subdural hemorrhage, severe brain damage and retinal hemorrhages.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reporter Eric Chaloux witnessed Holte's sentencing, which lasted more than two hours.

“It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, and it’s been the worst seven months of our lives,” Nolan’s mother, Lisa Sapp, said Friday.

The criminal complaint states that when his parents picked Nolan up from Holte Daycare on Oct. 18, the baby's eyes were turned to the left, then closed on the way home. When removing the baby from the car seat, they discovered that his “eyes were bouncing while still veering to the left” as well as his bent limbs which “did not seem normal.”

When Nolan's mother called Holte to ask what happened, Holte told her that another child at the daycare had dropped her baby. The doctor treating the baby told police that Holte's story did not match the severity of the child's injuries.

“What she did was as close to murder as we have seen. Honestly, I’m stunned that Nolan survived,” said Hennepin County Deputy Prosecutor Dan Allard.

Investigators say Holte repeated the claim that another child had dropped the baby when they questioned her, leading police to question that child.

During the interview, court records say the child told police that Holte was “rough” with the baby and that a doll was used to demonstrate what the child witnessed. The child “raised the doll to eye level and dropped it on the table in front of her,” according to the complaint.

In another interview, Holte later admitted to throwing the baby, saying she threw him “a little harder than usual.” Holte said she then noticed the baby was not concentrating and had slanted eyes. She also remembers feeling “overwhelmed and frustrated” and reaching “a breaking point, in a bad way” after having her children in care for so long.

Court records also include a statement from the baby's doctor, who said: “The mechanism of injury, of a violent snap, reported by the daycare provider, could explain [Victim’s] presentation with subdural hemorrhage, severe brain injury and retinal hemorrhages. It should be noted that he would have presented symptoms immediately afterwards, which also corresponds to a serious traumatic event.

“I want to express my deepest remorse and sincere apologies…for my actions,” Holte said.

Several members of his family and friends, as well as his pastor, also asked the judge for mercy.

Judge Jay Quam ultimately said he didn't think the act was malicious and noted he couldn't change what happened.

“I can’t do you justice. Justice is kind of rewinding this situation and preventing this from happening,” Quam told Nolan’s family.

“The pain and impact of Ms. Holte’s actions are immeasurable and no amount of punishment can fully restore the future suffering and challenges that Nolan and our family will face,” a family spokesperson said.

Those close to him now cling to the small moments, including a recent smile and laugh.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family.