Mary Marso Charged in School Assault of Child

A 64-year-old Winner, South Dakota, woman has been indicted on federal charges for striking a child at a local elementary school. Mary Marso was charged with Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding following an alleged incident at Todd County Elementary School in Mission, South Dakota, on or about December 10, 2015. The indictment, returned November 9, 2016, marks a grim chapter in a community still reeling from the violence.

Marso appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 2, 2016, where she formally entered a plea of not guilty. Despite the plea, federal prosecutors are moving forward with the case, which carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in federal custody and/or a $100,000 fine. Additional penalties include one year of supervised release, a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and potential restitution.

The indictment alleges that Marso physically attacked a juvenile student inside the school building, a space meant to be safe for children. Details of the assault have not been fully released, but the involvement of the Federal Bureau of Investigation signals the severity with which authorities are treating the incident. The FBI has taken the lead on the investigation, underscoring the federal interest in crimes committed on tribal or federal land, which often includes schools in the region.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie G. Sanderson is prosecuting the case, a rare but not unprecedented move in school-based assaults that cross into federal jurisdiction. United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler confirmed the indictment, emphasizing that while the charge is an accusation, the federal system will ensure accountability. “Every act of violence against a child demands scrutiny,” Seiler stated in a brief release.

Marso was released on bond following her court appearance. No trial date has been set, leaving the victim, the school, and the wider community in limbo. Parents and staff at Todd County Elementary have expressed concern over safety protocols and the circumstances that allowed a non-staff adult to allegedly assault a student on school grounds.

The case remains ongoing. Mary Marso is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. As the federal machinery grinds forward, the people of Winner and Mission are watching closely — a child was struck, and now, the justice system must respond.