Attorney General Ellison files criminal complaint in death of Hardel Sherrell at Beltrami County Jail

Michelle Skroch charged with second-degree manslaughter and two counts of criminal neglect arising from 2018 in-custody death

March 7, 2025 (SAINT PAUL) — Today, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison criminally charged Michelle Skroch in Beltrami County District Court with one count of manslaughter in the second degree and two counts of criminal neglect—felony deprivation for the September  2, 2018, death of Hardel Sherrell. Skroch was the Director of Nursing for MEnD Correctional Care, LLC, the former healthcare provider at the Beltrami County Jail.

The complaint alleges that from September 1, 2018, to September 2, 2018, Skroch failed to properly care for Mr. Sherrell while he was in the custody of the Beltrami County Jail, and her negligent mistreatment of Mr. Sherrell resulted in his death.  The complaint asserts that Skroch failed to perform “the most basic nursing care” and did not take Mr. Sherrell’s vitals for two days, despite “objective evidence” of Mr. Sherrell’s medical distress after he returned from the emergency room. As outlined in the complaint, a correctional healthcare expert’s review concluded that Skroch’s actions demonstrated a “tremendous breach in the standard of care.”  Skroch’s nursing license was revoked in 2023.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Attorney General Ellison’s office charged Skroch upon a referral from Beltrami County Attorney David Hanson under Minnesota Statutes, Section 8.01, which provides, “Upon request of the county attorney, the attorney general shall appear in court in such criminal cases as the attorney general deems proper.” The Beltrami County Attorney requested the Attorney General’s assistance with this case in February 2023.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigated this matter.