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Child Abuse & Negligence Alleged in Fatal Crash
A devastating incident has shaken the community in Porcupine, South Dakota, where a 26-year-old woman is accused of driving under the influence and causing a fatal crash that ejected a young child.
Elizabeth Red Star-Benson, 26, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of Felony Child Abuse and Neglect and Involuntary Manslaughter.
According to the indictment, the incident occurred on an unspecified date, and Red Star-Benson was driving a vehicle while intoxicated, resulting in a roll-over crash that ejected a young child, who tragically died from their injuries.
Red Star-Benson appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 28, 2013, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years’ imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine.
The investigation into the incident is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Red Star-Benson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. A trial date has not been set.
The charges against Red Star-Benson are merely an accusation, and she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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