Beltrami County ( trfnews.i234.me ) — Mother Charged With Harassment of Adult Daughter
A Bemidji woman has been charged with gross misdemeanor harassment after police say she repeatedly followed and contacted her 19-year-old daughter against her wishes. According to a criminal complaint filed in Beltrami County District Court, Kimberly Joy Dawes, 39, is accused of causing her daughter substantial emotional distress through ongoing unwanted contact and surveillance.
According to the Bemidji Police Department, the case began when Dawes’ daughter, identified by the initials L.D., reported several incidents beginning in March 2025. L.D. told police she had moved out of her parents’ home earlier in the year and now lives at an apartment on Delton Avenue Northwest in Bemidji.
L.D. reported that her parents, Kimberly and Christopher Dawes, had been following her to and from work and other locations several times a week. She said she had repeatedly told both parents to stop following and contacting her. Despite this, the behavior reportedly continued, causing her significant mental and emotional distress.
L.D. also claimed that her parents made repeated phone calls to her in what she described as ongoing harassment. Witnesses corroborated some of her statements, confirming that the Daweses were seen following their daughter’s vehicle around the city.
During a non-custodial interview on September 21, 2025, Kimberly Dawes admitted to following and attempting to contact her daughter despite being asked not to. She told officers she was concerned about her daughter’s safety and believed she had the right to check on her, even though her daughter is an adult.
Investigators concluded that the repeated unwanted contact and following caused L.D. substantial mental distress, leading to the harassment charge under Minnesota Statute §609.749.
Possible Penalties
The charge of harassment causing emotional distress is a gross misdemeanor, carrying a maximum penalty of 364 days in jail and a $3,000 fine. The case remains pending in Beltrami County District Court.
Authorities did not report any physical contact or threats in connection with the incidents, and the case centers on the repeated unwanted surveillance and communications.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
