Dad Accused of Child Abuse After Twins Found with Fractures
A Minneapolis man has been charged with multiple felonies after an investigation into severe injuries sustained by his infant twin sons.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County, authorities allege that Dylan Raymond Strain, 19, inflicted significant harm on the three-month-old twins over the course of several weeks.
The infants were hospitalized after one of them was brought to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on Jan. 31, 2025, due to seizures and low oxygen levels. Medical examinations revealed extensive injuries including multiple rib fractures, subdural hematomas, spinal hemorrhaging and signs of physical abuse. The infant suffered a total of 46 fractures and doctors say the infant is at high risk for developmental delays and permanent disabilities, including vision loss.
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Further medical evaluations determined that the other infant also suffered numerous injuries, including a healing laceration under the tongue, rib fractures, a clavicle fracture, and signs of head trauma consistent with abuse. In total the other infant was found to have 14 fractures.
The investigation led authorities to the family’s residence in Saint Paul, where Strain lived with the twins' mother, their maternal grandmother, and the grandmothers two young children. The grandmother—who was interviewed by investigators—said she heard the babies crying hysterically on multiple occasions and had confronted Strain about injuries she noticed. She recalled incidents where Strain admitted to being rough with the infants, including an episode where he forcefully fed one of the babies, causing injuries to the mother, the documents said.
During an interview with police, Strain allegedly admitted to handling the infants too roughly, saying he would panic when both babies cried and had trouble controlling his frustration. He acknowledged that he may have squeezed the infants too tightly, held them in ways that could have caused injuries and punched a wall in anger. Strain reportedly told investigators during an interview, “This is a confession of guilt, it’s not a ‘who did it.’"
The mother also spoke with authorities, stating that she had witnessed Strain forcefully feeding the infants and becoming visibly frustrated with them. She admitted to concerns about his rough handling but initially attempted to take responsibility for some of the children's injuries. But medical professionals expressed doubt that the injuries could have been caused by the actions she described, the documents said.
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Phone records obtained by investigators revealed text messages between Strain and the mother in which they discussed the investigation and potential legal consequences. In one exchange, Strain acknowledged his role in the situation, telling her, "Yeah, but I’m still the cause of it."
Strain has been charged with two counts of first-degree assault and two counts of malicious punishment of a child, all felonies. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each first-degree assault charge and up to 10 years for each count of malicious punishment.
Strain was taken into custody after a warrant was issued for his arrest but an initial court date has not yet been set.
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