ST. PAUL PARK, Minn. - Police in St. Paul Park say a woman charged in the death of her newborn son has taken her own life by setting herself on fire.

Police Chief Mike Monahan said Monday in a statement that 29-year-old Toni Medrano, of Cottage Grove, died of injuries after using a flammable liquid to set herself on fire in the backyard of a home in St. Paul Park last Monday.

Medrano faced manslaughter charges in the death of her 3-week-old son last November. Prosecutors say Medrano drank vodka before falling asleep on the couch with her baby. A medical examiner concluded the child suffocated.

The case gained national attention last month when it was featured on Nancy Grace's cable TV talk show.

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