FARGO-A Fargo man is charged with negligent homicide in the death of his wife, who according to court documents died after the two had a mutual huffing session that began late in the evening on Dec. 23.

Brent S. Glarum is also charged in Cass County District Court with reckless endangerment and violating an order for protection stemming from the incident.

listen live watch live

According to court documents:

Police and other emergency workers were called to the couple's home in north Fargo about 3 a.m. on Dec. 24 on a report of a woman who had overdosed on compressed air.

Glarum told an officer that he and his wife, Erin, had purchased cans of "Dust-Off" earlier in the night and they both consumed some of the compressed air, though he said his wife huffed "a lot more" than he did that night.

Glarum said he "was kind of supervising" his wife's huffing because in the past she had passed out while huffing, which would make her fall over while clutching the can, causing frostbite to her hand.

On the night his wife died, Glarum told police he fell asleep after consuming Dust-Off and later woke up when he heard his wife, who had been sitting on the floor, fall over and strike the bed frame.

He said his wife's lips were blue and she was unresponsive, so he attempted CPR before calling 911.

Erin Glarum was pronounced dead about 30 minutes after rescue workers arrived at the house, according to court documents, which state a protection order prohibiting Brent Glarum from contacting his wife was in effect at the time of the incident.

Glarum told investigators that on the night of the huffing session his wife was feeling stressed out and depressed because her father had been in the hospital and needed surgery for a medical condition.

The charges against Glarum allege that he purchased the Dust-Off and facilitated his wife's huffing, which killed her.

In September, the Glarums were both arrested following a fight at their home.

Court documents say Brent Glarum told investigators the fight started after he woke up early in the morning and found the couple's 6-month-old daughter crying face down on the bathroom floor.

He said he confronted his wife, who was lying in her own bed and appeared to be extremely intoxicated.

Glarum said that during the altercation his wife stabbed him in the arm.

Investigators said Erin Glarum's face and arms were swollen after the fight and her nose was broken, according to court documents.

Both were charged with aggravated assault.

Brent Glarum later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct.

The assault case against his wife was pending at the time she died.