North Dakota Woman Charged in Death of Baby
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 12, 2012 |
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a North Dakota woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly killing her 5-month old baby by abusing and neglecting him.
Kehuanna Poitra, age 24, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 20, 2011, for second-degree murder and felony child abuse and neglect.
She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on January 6, 2012, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The penalty upon conviction of second-degree murder is a minimum of 30 years up to life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine; the penalty upon conviction of felony child abuse and neglect is a minimum of 10 years up to 15 years’ imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. The charges are merely accusations, and Poitra is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case. Poitra was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. A trial date has not yet been set.