Poplar man sentenced in death of infant

GREAT FALLS—Poplar resident Dennis Red Boy, who admitted causing the death of an infant who would not stop crying, was sentenced on Wednesday to five and one-half years in prison and to two years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Red Boy, 28, pleaded guilty in February to involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 15, 2017 death of a six-month old baby girl in Poplar on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Judge Morris also ordered $3,500 restitution.

The prosecution said in court records that Red Boy was taking care of children when the infant would not stop crying. He placed the baby on her back, then flipped her over by her foot. He then placed a heavy blanket over her. When he returned about an hour later, the infant was dead. Red Boy initially told law enforcement that the baby had choked on a bottle then admitted that story was incorrect.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.