Fort Yates Woman Sentenced for Child Neglect and Abuse

BISMARCK - US Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on May 30, 2017, Shayla Left Hand, 22, Fort Yates, ND, was sentenced before Chief US District Judge Daniel L. Hovland to serve a total of 20 years in prison and five (5) years of supervised release. On February 8, 2017, Left Hand pled guilty to an Information charging her with four counts of Child Neglect in Indian Country and one count of Child Abuse in Indian Country. Judge Hovland further ordered Left Hand to pay a $500 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund, as well as pay restitution in the amount of $72,305.14.

Law enforcement were dispatched to the residence of Shayla Left Hand and Calvin Crow Eagle; upon entering the residence, law enforcement located a four-year-old-male child that they could see had severe burns covering his body. The child was immediately transported to Indian Health Services (IHS) where doctors found that a significant portion of the boy’s body had second or third-degree burns and that the child could possibly die. It was further noted that the boy suffered from malnutrition, in addition to observing other signs of physical abuse. The child was transported by air ambulance to a burn unit located in Minnesota where he received treatment for his injuries. Left Hand subsequently admitted to pouring scalding water on the boy because the boy messed his pants. Left Hand did not seek any medical treatment for the boy’s injuries for approximately five days, which was when law enforcement located the boy at the residence. Further investigation revealed that Left Hand would leave the four-year-old boy, along with another three-year-old child, locked in the home with a padlock while away from the residence.

Sentencing for co-defendant Calvin Crow Eagle is scheduled for June 19, 2017, at 10:00a.m.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Standing Rock and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Bismarck.

Assistant US Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell prosecuted the case.