Desarae Makes Him First, a 25-year-old woman from South Dakota, stands accused of beating her child to death in a savage assault that unfolded over two harrowing days in October 2016. Federal prosecutors have hit her with the full weight of the law: an indictment charging her with First Degree Murder, Second Degree Murder, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury to a Child, and Felony Child Abuse.
The indictment, unsealed October 18, 2016, alleges that between October 11 and October 12, Makes Him First repeatedly struck the child, inflicting injuries so severe they led directly to the victim’s death. The crime occurred under the shadow of felony child abuse, a charge that elevates the murder counts under federal sentencing guidelines. Each blow, according to prosecutors, wasn’t just an act of violence—it was a step toward a killing.
Makes Him First appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on October 20, 2016, where she entered a plea of not guilty. But the evidence, law enforcement sources suggest, paints a grim picture. The case, built by agents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Standing Rock Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, hinges on medical findings and witness accounts collected in the hours after the child was found unresponsive.
If convicted, Makes Him First faces a mandatory life sentence, a $1,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. She would also be required to pay $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, with restitution possible for additional damages. There is no room for leniency in the federal statute—this is a case where the law demands the maximum.
The prosecution is being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley, who has a track record of securing convictions in violent child abuse cases on tribal lands. The indictment underscores the federal government’s reach in crimes committed on reservations, where jurisdiction often involves a complex web of tribal and federal authority.
Makes Him First was remanded into custody by the United States Marshals Service following her arraignment. No trial date has been set. The charges remain allegations, and she is presumed innocent until proven guilty. But in the tight-knit community where this tragedy unfolded, the weight of grief—and outrage—has already taken hold.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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