HOPKINS, MN – A Minnesota man will spend four years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter in the death of his 9-year-old daughter, who died following an asthmatic episode that her parents attempted to treat with home remedies rather than seeking emergency medical help.
Anthony Modrow, 35, was handed his sentence on Monday for his role in his daughter’s 2024 death. The tragedy unfolded when the girl’s severe asthma attack was left untreated by medical professionals despite clear signs of distress.
Prosecutors revealed chilling details about the choices made by Modrow and his wife, Rachel, 36 after their daughter began having breathing troubles during a sleepover at a friend’s house. Instead of allowing their daughter to be taken to a hospital as the friend’s mother advised, they decided to manage the situation at home.
Court documents highlight how, despite recognizing that their daughter was struggling to breathe and had turned blue, the Modrows chose to use a steam bath and alternate home remedies rather than necessary medical treatment. Friends and family repeatedly urged the parents to consider hospital care, to no avail.
One friend, asked to check on the situation by the child’s aunt, later took the girl to a medical facility, but by then, it was too late to save her life. The severity of her asthma attack required immediate professional intervention, which the Modrows failed to provide or permit.
Prosecutors stressed the importance of early medical intervention for asthma, noting that experts were clear about the potential for a significantly better outcome had the child received treatment sooner. The attempts to use a steam bath and an inhaler intended for another person were neither medically appropriate nor safe.
The case’s resolution saw Anthony Modrow accepting a plea deal in late January, just before he was set to stand trial. Rachel Modrow also faced consequences for her part, receiving a 41-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to the same charge in October.
Medical professionals involved in the case underscored the critical need for asthmatic patients to have access to the correct medication, including rescue inhalers, which the child did not have on hand. The tragedy serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the dire need for appropriate medical care in emergency health situations.