United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Bataillon sentenced Mark Anthony Grant, age 22, of Winnebago, Nebraska to eight years of imprisonment for his conviction for child abuse resulting in death. Grant was further ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his release from imprisonment.

Grant, an enrolled member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, resided on the Winnebago Indian Reservation with Julie Paulson and her children, including Paulson’s 14 month old son. On the morning of September 10, 2013, Paulson’s son was still sleeping when she was ready to leave for work, so she left him with Grant to take to the babysitter later that morning. Approximately 90 minutes later, Grant took the child to the emergency room at the Indian Health Services Hospital in Winnebago. The child’s eyes were fixed and dilated upon arrival. The doctors indicated those conditions were consistent with head trauma. The child was later life-flighted to Children’s Hospital where he eventually died.

Doctors at Children’s Hospital determined that the child had significant cerebral edema, severe bilateral retinal hemorrhages and bilateral subdural hematomas. No other medical conditions were found which would have accounted for his condition and no further traumatic injuries were discovered during his hospitalization. The doctors determined the child’s injuries had to have been caused by a violent rotational injury which caused the child’s head to whip back and forth or side to side. Thus, his injuries were classified as abusive head trauma.

There were no witnesses to the event as only Grant and the child were in the home at the time of the injury.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.