Pine Ridge Couple Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota couple convicted of involuntary manslaughter were sentenced on July 11, 2013, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Whitnee Eagle, age 25, and Abraham Silas Red Cloud, age 31, were each sentenced to nine months’ custody, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Eagle and Red Cloud were indicted for felony child abuse and neglect and involuntary manslaughter by a federal grand jury on July 24, 2012. The charges stemmed from an incident on June 26, 2012, when Eagle and Red Cloud, who had been drinking large quantities of alcohol, rolled over on their 5-month-old son who was sleeping in the same bed and suffocated him.

Eagle pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter on March 12, 2013, and Red Cloud pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter on March 13, 2013.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services; and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.

Eagle and Red Cloud were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.