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Press Release

Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced for Felony Child Abuse and Neglect

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Felony Child Abuse and Neglect was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Darshan Featherman, age 31, was sentenced on March 7, 2018, to 10 years in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund

Featherman was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury on December 6, 2016.  The charge related to Featherman and others intentionally starving two young children, one of whom had been placed in Featherman’s custody. 

On November 11, 2016, the two young children were transported to Rapid City Regional and hospitalized.  The attending physician stated the children were extremely emaciated.  The physician advised law enforcement that this was the worst case of child abuse he had ever seen in his experience as a physician, and if the children had not been found, they would have died from chronic starvation.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Sarah Collins prosecuted the case.

Featherman was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Updated March 17, 2018

Topic
Indian Country Law and Justice