Tokio Woman Sentenced for Beating Her 4-Year-Old Child with a Hanger

FARGO—United States Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on February 14, 2011, Harriet Rose Feather, of Tokio, North Dakota, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Erickson on a charge of felony child abuse.

Feather, 31, pleaded guilty on December 3, 2010, to beating her 4-year-old son with a plastic hanger until the hanger broke. The child suffered welts and severe bruising on his back. When interviewed by the emergency room doctor, the child stated that he did not know why he was beaten because he “was being a good boy.” The incident occurred in August of 2010 on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.

Feather was on supervised release for a previous child abuse conviction in 2005 for shaking an 18-month-old child so violently he suffered shaken baby syndrome. The medical bills were over $60,000 for the injures she inflicted on that child.

Judge Erickson sentenced Feather to seven years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Feather was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim's Fund.

Feather was also ordered to pay $2,869 in medical restitution.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Spirit Lake Tribal Social Services.

Assistant United States Attorney Janice M. Morley prosecuted the case.