Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Manslaughter Over Fire That Killed His 79-Year-Old Mother

The man told investigators he had working on a fishing pole over a pan of motor oil and lit a cigarette before the fire had started

A Minnesota man has pleaded guilty to charges in connection to a home fire in May that left his 79-year-old mother dead, according to reports.

Christian Thomas Dahm, 45, has pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter during a hearing in Ramsey County District Court on Friday, according to Pioneer Press and BNN Bloomberg.

The guilty plea came as part of a plea deal with the prosecution that would allow Dahm’s attorney to argue for him to get a sentence outside of state sentencing guidelines, according to Pioneer Press.

Per the plea deal, he will also be held responsible for restitution of the home as well as neighbor’s homes that were also damaged in the fire.

He could face up to 11 years in prison for his second-degree manslaughter charge, the outlet further noted.

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The Ramsey County District Court and Ramsey County Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

On May 14, a fire broke out at a home in the Aspen Court townhome area, which is located about 70 miles from Minneapolis, according to KSPT-TV. Firefighters responded to the scene at about 11:30 p.m. local time and rescued a woman, later identified as Dahm’s mother, Patricia Dahm, who was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

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According to a criminal complaint obtained by KSPT-TV and Pioneer Press, Patricia appeared to have inhaled a lot of smoke and suffered “slight burns” from the incident. At the hospital, she was placed on a ventilator to help her breathe but later died. An autopsy showed that her death had been a result of complications from smoke inhalation and her burns.

Dahm’s father told responders at the scene that his son “started the fire,” according to the complaint obtained by Pioneer Press. Police had found Dahm naked with a pair of pants around his ankles and he was handcuffed and carried out of the burning home, per KSPT-TV.

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While in custody, Dahm told investigators that he had been working on a fishing pole over a pan of motor oil before the fire had started, KSPT-TV reported. He said he had lit a cigarette with a torch and told investigators, “All of a sudden, there was a fire.”

According to charging documents obtained by the outlet, Dahm’s father told investigators that he and his wife had been concerned that their son had been using methamphetamine and when they went to check on him in the garage, “everything exploded.”

Dahm is currently serving prison time at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Stillwater for a probation violation on a separate crime, per Pioneer Press. His sentencing for this case is scheduled for May.

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