Man charged with attempted murder, after stabbing 3 year old in neck and woman six times

Man “went crazy” while three were in
car together at La Crescent intersection

CALEDONIA, Minn. — He has 11 charges against him, including first- and second-degree attempted murder. 

It was June 28 at a La Crescent, Minn., intersection when 27-year-old Sean Kasten “went crazy.”

From inside a car, he stabbed a 3-year-old girl, the girl’s mother and his own pitbull, according to the report.

The child had been stabbed in the neck and leg. The 23-year-old Bangor, Wis., woman suffered six stab wounds – in her back, front, torso and hand – and both of her lungs were collapsed.

Covered in blood, she told police she was going to die.

Witnesses saw the red Ford Taurus come to a screeching halt around, before the woman got out screaming for help, as she took her child out of the car. 

Witnesses helped take the child, whose lips were blue and she didn’t appear to be breathing, to the grass on the side of the road. They did chest compressions until finally getting a response.

As that was happening, Kasten, who is from Ettrick, Wis., opened the passenger door and fell out, having also stabbed himself multiple times.

When police arrived, witnesses were helping tend to the wounded. Both the child and Kasten had to be taken to the hospital for surgery. The child had a damaged artery but is now recovering at a relative’s home. 

Kasten’s pitbull, in the back seat with the child, was also stabbed twice during the incident and taken to the vet. It is also OK and recovering.

Trying to discern what happened, the woman told police, “we were driving and he went crazy.” 

The woman was apparently giving Kasten a ride home from her house – apparently in Bangor – when he began to act strange and say strange things. Then he got angry and hit the car’s center console. 

Worried about Kasten’s behavior, she tried calling a friend. Unable to reach her, she decided to drive to a friend’s home on Juniper St. in La Crescent, instead.

That is when Kasten began hitting her. He then got out a folding knife and began stabbing – first the woman, then the baby and dog. After that, he began stabbing himself.

Wednesday, Kasten’s unconditional bond was set at $750,000 with a conditional bond of $500,000.

Houston County attorney Sam Jandt argued for the high bond, because of the violent nature of the crime, and Kasten’s history of mental illness and drug abuse.

He will get a mental exam before his next court date.