St. Paul, MN – A 40-year-old man received a sentence of 128 months in prison for the murder of his eight-week-old son. Mark Russell Forster’s sentencing took place on Monday following a Norgaard plea to second-degree murder without intent while in commission of a felony.
The plea indicates that Forster did not remember the events surrounding the crime but acknowledged that the prosecution had sufficient evidence to establish his guilt. Ramsey County District Judge Sophia Y. Vuelo presided over the case.
Forster has been credited with 460 days served. The charges stemmed from an incident at the family’s residence on January 31, when the boy was taken to St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood with severe injuries. Medical staff reported that the infant was brought in by his mother, who stated he was “seizing and blue.”
Following admission to St. John’s, Jackson Dallas Forster was transferred for intensive care. While at the hospital, Forster expressed uncertainty about how the injuries occurred, mentioning he may have dropped the infant.
An investigation revealed the events of the night leading to the child’s hospitalization. Forster, who returned home from work around 1 a.m., took care of Jackson so that the child’s mother could rest.
The mother reported that she left for work at 7 a.m. and remembered Jackson waking up. She returned home at 1:30 p.m. to find the infant asleep and later witnessed concerning symptoms. Jackson was taken to the emergency room after showing signs of distress.
Forster admitted to police that he had consumed a significant amount of alcohol before and during the incident. He reported drinking approximately five drinks after getting home. He also acknowledged having smoked marijuana that evening.
Forster’s text messages revealed his feelings of guilt. He wrote to the child’s mother expressing regret over the incident and taking responsibility for their son’s injuries.