St. Michael Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse and Related Charges in Death of One Year Old

BISMARCK - United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Kenzie Rose Baker, age 27, from St. Michael, North Dakota, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 22, 2025, for her role in the death of a one-year-old child on the Spirit Lake Reservation. Baker appeared in federal court on August 16, 2024, in Fargo and pleaded guilty before District Court Judge Peter Welte to accessory after the fact, child abuse in Indian country, and child neglect in Indian country.

"The abuse and death of this young child was senseless, wasteful, and utterly cruel," Schneider said. "There is no undoing the disregard for life shown in this case, but by holding child abusers accountable in federal court we hope that future tragedies can be prevented. Our partners in federal law enforcement and career prosecutors will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect kids."

As noted in court documents, Baker called 911 on February 18, 2023, from a home in St. Michael on the Spirit Lake Reservation and reported a one-year-old child was not breathing. The child was transported to CHI St. Alexius in Devils Lake, North Dakota and was pronounced dead.

An autopsy concluded the cause of death was "battered child" due to multiple, repeated injuries of various ages which were evident upon external and internal examination. The child's internal injuries were untreated, giving rise to infection and sepsis.

Baker admitted she observed swelling present for two weeks but failed to seek medical care. After the child's death, Baker's co-defendant, Collin Ray Delorme, claimed an external injury to the child's back, which was above a spinal fracture, occurred when he misjudged a step and his boot slipped and a flashlight hit the child. Law enforcement attempted to locate and seize the flashlight and Baker said she would provide it, but she did not.

Delorme, the co-defendant, is charged with four offenses including felony murder in Indian country, child abuse in Indian country, and child neglect in Indian country. Delorme is scheduled for jury trial on November 19, 2024. Baker and Delorme are detained in custody pending Baker's sentencing and Delorme's trial. The Indictment in this case pertaining to Delorme is not evidence of guilt, Delorme is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lori H. Conroy and SheraLynn Ternes.

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