Murder In Death Of Child Sends Wolf Point Woman To Prison For More Than 16 Years

A Wolf Point woman who admitted to a murder charge in the death of child on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced on Oct. 30 to 16 years and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said Tuesday.

Heather Dawn Smith, also known as Heather Dawn Yellow Owl, 33, pleaded guilty in May to second degree murder.

The government alleged in court documents that on Nov. 8, 2020 in Wolf Point, Smith beat the victim, a two-yearold child identified as Jane Doe. When Smith checked on the victim on Nov. 12, the child was unresponsive. The child was transported to the hospital in Wolf Point, where she was pronounced dead. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Harper Suek and Ryan G. Weldon prosecuted the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation and Wolf Point Police Department conducted the investigation.