Esperanza Harding sentenced to 384 months on second-degree murder charge

Esperanza Rae Harding, 21, was sentenced Thursday to 384 months on one count of second-degree intentional murder for the death of her eight-month-old child on Feb. 28, 2024.

The 384-month sentence is an upward departure from the presumptive sentence under the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines. Ms. Harding entered a guilty plea on Dec. 20, 2024. Her co-defendant, Edwin Trudeau, pleaded guilty to aiding an offender, accomplice after the fact, on Feb. 24, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced in early May.

“My thoughts are with Mateo’s family today,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said. “This was a heartbreaking case and while Ms. Harding is being held accountable, it does not return Mateo to his family or offer him the life he should have had the chance to live.”

Ms. Harding has 366 days of credit for time served.

Case Numbers

Esperanza Rae Harding: 27-CR-24-5454

Edwin Cosmo Trudeau: 27-CR-24-5455

Additional information:

The Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines determine the presumptive sentence for felony offenses. The presumptive sentence is reached by comparing the severity level of the offense with the defendant’s criminal history score. In this instance, the presumptive sentence for Ms. Harding was 306 months.

A sentence may depart from the sentencing guidelines if the court finds it appropriate.

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