Esperanza Harding: Minnesota mom texts BF about doing ‘something bad’ as she drowns infant son in bathtub

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MINNESOTA, UNITED STATES: According to court records, a 20-year-old woman from Minnesota is potentially looking at a maximum sentence of 40 years in jail for reportedly drowning her infant son in a Bloomington hotel. 

According to ScallyWag & Vagabond, the woman, identified as Esperanza Rae Harding, allegedly drowned her infant son because she was unable to "enjoy her bath" due to her child's crying in the adjacent room. 

She is currently facing a second-degree murder charge in Hennepin County for the death of her 7-month-old son, Mateo Harding.

Notably, authorities have not been able to locate the child's body, even after the mother confessed to disposing it of in a dumpster.

Harding's bail has been established at $1.5 million. As Harding's boyfriend, Edwin Trudeau, assisted her in disposing of the child's body, his bail is set at $1 million without conditions or $500,000 with conditions. Both individuals are currently detained at the Hennepin County Jail.

Further information regarding how Harding's boyfriend was involved in the child's death has been revealed during the investigation.

Esperanza Harding discloses tragic death of her child

According to charges filed on Friday, March 8, authorities were summoned to Children’s Hospital on March 6 following a report of a missing child. 

Upon speaking with Harding, she asserted that her child had passed away at the hospital due to 'natural causes'. However, there was no record of the child's admission to the hospital or his demise there.

Subsequently, during police interrogation, Harding purportedly confessed that her child had actually died at a Bloomington hotel on February 28.

Harding disclosed to investigators that while attempting to take a bath, her son's crying from the adjacent room distressed her, preventing her from enjoying her bath. 

Allegedly, she then comforted the crying child before drowning him in the bathtub. 

She purportedly proceeded to wrap his body, place it in a backpack, and discard it in a dumpster.

Authorities found evidence against Esperanza Harding

Authorities found evidence on cell phones, including a picture of the child in the bathtub after the incident. 

Harding also sent text messages to Edwin Trudeau, an 18-year-old from Minnetonka, whom she said she was dating.

Harding texted Trudeau, saying she was about to do "something bad" and that the child wouldn't be around much longer. 

Trudeau replied, saying it was okay. Later, when Harding texted again that the child was dead and apologized, Trudeau replied, telling her "Don't be".

Harding said Trudeau came to the hotel room, and they tried CPR, but it didn't work. They didn't call 911 for help. Instead, Trudeau suggested Harding take the child to the dumpster and make it look like she was throwing out trash.

While they were at the hotel, Harding said Trudeau kept insisting they needed to leave and that they were like the infamous criminal duo Bonnie and Clyde. Trudeau reportedly said, "It is always going to be us, Bonnie and Clyde."

Harding later admitted she was dating someone who didn't like her child and wanted her to give the child up for adoption. It's unclear why she was at the hotel or where she usually lived. The identity of the child's father is also unknown.

GoFundMe raises over $750 for Mateo Harding’s funeral services

A GoFundMe page has been set for Mateo Harding. As of March 11, Monday, GoFundMe had raised over $750 out of a $20K goal.  

In the fundraiser, Mateo is described  as a happy and loving 7-month-old baby. 

It explained that Mateo's mother took him away from his father with the help of law enforcement. After abandoning him for three months after his birth, she returned, but the police didn't help much. 

They let her keep Mateo and told the father to go to court to get him back.  Later, she promised to share custody, but she took Mateo away from his father with lies.