Brooklyn Park Couple Indicted For Murder Of Foster Child
BROOKLYN PARK (WCCO) – A Brooklyn Park couple has been indicted for first-degree murder in the death of their 3-year-old foster child.
Sherrie Dirk, 33, was arrested Thursday evening and is expected to make a court appearance at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Bryce Dirk, 31, was arrested late Friday morning, but his court appearance has not been scheduled. Bail is set for $2 million each.
According to a petition to terminate the parental rights of the Dirks' four other children, police were called to the couple's Brooklyn Park home on Nov. 6 because the 3-year-old was not breathing.
Police said Sherrie Dirk had wrapped the girl with three sheets between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. and left her in a room with the door closed. The child was left unattended until just before the 911 call at about 6:30 p.m., when Bryce Dirk entered the room. One of the sheets was found around the girl's neck.
When police arrived, the child was found severely dehydrated. Police said since the girl had arrived at the couple's home, she lost weight and gone from the 98th percentile in weight to the 13th percentile weeks before her death.
A Hennepin County Grand Jury indicted the couple for first-degree murder while committing child abuse and second-degree murder while committing underlying felonies of neglect, child endangerment and malicious punishment.
Brooklyn Park Police removed the other children from the home the night the girl was found dead. They have been placed in protective care, and the Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed a Child in Need Of Protection and Safety petition so the county could have immediate jurisdiction over the children and keep them in protective care.
The petition was later amended to a termination of parental rights petition after further investigation by police and Hennepin County Child Protection.
A GoFundMe page for the girl was also created the day after her death, which raised $5,441.
No additional information has been released at this time.