Dylan Raymond Strain, a 20-year-old Minnesota man, has been sentenced to just under 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to intentionally inflicting catastrophic injuries on his 3-month-old twin sons—60 combined fractures that doctors determined could not have occurred accidentally.
Background
The case came to light in January 2025 when the infant twins were brought to a hospital showing severe signs of abuse. According to a probable cause affidavit, one of the boys arrived suffering seizures and "very low oxygen saturation levels." Medical personnel discovered bleeding on his brain, bruises covering his body, and rib fractures at multiple stages of healing. That child sustained 46 fractures total.
The second twin was found to have a healing laceration under his tongue, along with rib and clavicle fractures. He also suffered hemorrhaging under both eyes that could result in permanent vision loss. This infant had 14 documented fractures.
Both boys lived with their mother, grandmother, and two other children at a home on the 800 block of Woodbridge Street in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The Investigation
Ramsey County detectives took over the investigation after hospital staff reported suspected child abuse. Officers determined that the injuries sustained by both infants were consistent with non-accidental trauma and could not have occurred accidentally.
The boys' grandmother became a key witness for investigators. She told police: "My grandbabies are in the hospital because some man don't know how to control himself. That man is Dylan Strain."
According to court documents, the grandmother reported hearing "hysterical crying" coming from the twins' room on multiple occasions. When she investigated, she observed one of the boys with a cut on his lip. A few days later, similar circumstances arose.
Detectives also documented observing Strain "screaming" at both infants and noted a punched-out hole in the wall of the twins' bedroom. Around the time the babies were hospitalized, the grandmother saw Strain holding a baby wipe to one boy's lip with a pile of bloody wipes on the floor.
When questioned by police, Strain admitted he was the "likely cause" of his sons' injuries. His statements revealed a pattern of violence tied to his inability to tolerate their crying.
"I was a bit lackluster with my patience with the kids," Strain told investigators. "Baby crying gets me so worked up."
Strain also confessed to squeezing the twins too tightly and admitted he had "socked the s--- out of the wall" in frustration.
The boys' mother provided additional corroborating testimony. She told police that whenever her sons suffered injuries, it occurred while Strain was watching or caring for them. According to investigators, she described how Strain would hold the babies on his lap, yell at them, and "bounce" them "very fast." She observed the infants' arms and legs flailing during these episodes and immediately intervened by grabbing the babies from him whenever she witnessed such behavior.
Text message exchanges between the couple further documented Strain's admitted struggles with caring for the children. Following his arrest, Strain was booked into the Ramsey County Jail, where he remained until his recent sentencing.
The Charges
Strain pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault with great bodily harm in Ramsey County District Court. Under the plea agreement, he received a sentence of 15 years and 10 months—nearly 16 years—of incarceration.
The severity of the sentence reflects the extent of injuries sustained by both victims and the deliberate nature of the abuse, according to court documents.
Key Takeaways
- Dylan Raymond Strain, 20, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault with great bodily harm in Ramsey County District Court
- The twin infants, both 3 months old at the time of discovery, sustained a combined total of 60 fractures
- One child suffered brain bleeding and 46 fractures; the other had 14 fractures plus vision-threatening eye hemorrhaging
- Strain admitted to investigators that "baby crying gets me so worked up" and confessed he was the likely cause of his sons' injuries
- The children's grandmother told police she heard hysterical crying from the twins' room on multiple occasions before the abuse was discovered
- Both victims face potential long-term developmental issues as a result of their injuries, according to investigators
What's Next
Strain has begun serving his sentence at a Minnesota state correctional facility. While no additional court dates are currently scheduled in this matter, child protective services have placed the surviving family members under ongoing supervision. Medical professionals will continue monitoring both infants for developmental delays and other long-term complications resulting from their injuries.
The case serves as a reminder of the critical role played by medical personnel and family members in identifying signs of non-accidental trauma in young children.