A Maplewood apartment building is reeling after a welfare check turned into a homicide investigation involving a mother and her teenage daughter. Police say 43-year-old Georgina Lee "Gigi" Monk was found dead inside her unit on Friday, and her 17-year-old daughter has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner later ruled Monk’s death a homicide caused by blunt-force injuries.
Investigation details
According to FOX 9, Maplewood officers were dispatched to the 1800 block of Beebe Road North around 9:30 a.m. Friday for a welfare check. Inside the apartment, they found Monk with signs of significant blunt-force trauma. Police secured the scene and brought in the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to assist as they identified Monk’s 17-year-old daughter as a suspect and took her into custody. The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has since filed second-degree murder charges, and authorities say the teenager was booked into the Ramsey County Juvenile Detention Center.
What investigators say happened
A juvenile petition reviewed by the Star Tribune states that Monk and her daughter argued before the killing and that Monk had taken away the teenager’s phone. The filing says surveillance footage shows the girl leaving the building with a full garbage bag, returning without it, then later walking out with a hammer and coming back again without it. According to the petition, the teen eventually admitted striking her mother twice and said the attack "was not entirely planned." The document also notes that Monk used a wheelchair, a detail that neighbors and friends have echoed in interviews.
Friends remember 'Gigi'
Friends and neighbors told CBS News Minnesota that Monk, known to many as Gigi, had an "amazing soul" and a big presence in the area. In reporter Ubah Ali’s coverage, people who knew Monk describe her as someone who lit up the community, making the alleged violence and sudden loss especially hard to process.
Legal next steps
Prosecutors have moved to take the case out of juvenile court. According to the Star Tribune, the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has filed a motion in Ramsey County District Court asking that the 17-year-old be certified for adult prosecution. Under Minnesota law (Minn. Stat. 260B.125), prosecutors can seek adult certification for 16- and 17-year-olds, triggering a hearing where they must prove by clear and convincing evidence that keeping the case in juvenile court would not serve public safety. If the judge grants certification, the case proceeds under adult criminal procedures. It is not yet known when a transfer hearing will be scheduled.
Community and what’s next
Maplewood Police Chief Brian Bierdeman has called the case "tragic and deeply disturbing." Officials told FOX 9 that investigators are continuing to work with the Minnesota BCA to complete the probe. Ramsey County court records and additional local media reporting are expected to provide the next public updates on arraignment timing, the certification motion, and any hearings that may be scheduled. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Maplewood Police Department, which is handling tips and witness statements as the community waits for answers.
