Minnesota Man Sentenced for Helping Girlfriend Kill Infant Son to Prove She Prioritized Him Over Her Baby

Edwin Cosmo Trudeau and Esperanza Harding were sentenced for their roles in the death of 7-month-old Mateo Harding; Trudeau was to serve over 6 years for encouragement, while Harding received a 32-year sentence.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA — A 20-year-old man who encouraged a young mother to follow through with the killing of her infant son and coached her on how to dispose of the child’s body has been sentenced to over six years in prison.

Edwin Cosmo Trudeau was sentenced to 74 months behind bars for being an accomplice after the fact in the 2024 murder of 7-month-old Mateo Harding. He will receive 145 days ' credit for time already served. His sentencing follows that of Esperanza Rae Harding, 21, the mother of the baby, who was sentenced in March 2025 to 32 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree intentional murder.

Court documents from Hennepin County revealed that on February 28, 2024, Esperanza Harding sent Trudeau a series of disturbing messages from a hotel room, expressing exhaustion and frustration with her crying infant.

“He's doing too much right now; I can’t f—ing sleep,” she texted. I’m trying, though. I’m about to do something bad. Please answer me. He's not going to be here much longer.”

Rather than intervening or urging her to seek help, Trudeau responded, “Ok, that’s ok.”

Moments later, after Harding messaged Trudeau that her baby was dead and that she was sorry, he coldly replied, “Don’t be.”

Authorities said Trudeau encouraged Harding by romanticizing their actions, comparing themselves to infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, and pledging, “If you go down, I go down no matter what.”

When Trudeau arrived at the hotel and discovered Mateo dead in the bathroom, he briefly attempted CPR. However, instead of calling 911 or seeking emergency help, he chose to engage in sexual activity with Harding before advising her to cover up the crime.

According to investigators, Trudeau told Harding to take the baby’s body to a dumpster and make it appear as if she was simply throwing out garbage. He also instructed her to “keep her mouth shut” to avoid being caught.

Prosecutors stated that Trudeau had pressured Harding to prove he was her top priority and had shown disdain toward her son, even urging her to consider giving the baby up for adoption.

“This was a violent, heartbreaking act, and Mr. Trudeau attempted to help conceal it,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty in a statement released after the sentencing. “All of our thoughts are with Mateo’s family. They should be getting ready to celebrate his second birthday, and instead, they’re left with a lifetime of grief. Mr. Trudeau is being held accountable for his actions.”

Mateo’s death sent shockwaves through the community and renewed conversations about the role of partners in cases of abuse and neglect.

As both Harding and Trudeau serve lengthy prison sentences, those close to baby Mateo are left grappling with a tragedy that could have been prevented if either adult had chosen compassion over cruelty.