Spirit Lake Reservation, North Dakota (trfnews.i234.me) — On April 14, 2025, Austin Ray Lester, 29, of Tokio, North Dakota, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to charges stemming from the 2022 death of a 3-year-old child on the Spirit Lake Reservation. Lester admitted to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of child neglect in Indian country, and assault of a child with a dangerous weapon. His sentencing is scheduled for August 5, 2025.
The charges relate to an August 2022 incident where Lester and co-defendant Krissy Louise Hinsley, 25, also of Tokio, were accused of gross negligence leading to the child’s death. Court documents allege the couple failed to seek timely medical care for the child and allowed access to acetaminophen, contributing to the fatal outcome. Lester was additionally charged with assaulting the child using a wooden back scratcher.
Hinsley is scheduled for a change of plea and sentencing hearing on July 28, 2025. Both defendants were initially detained following their April 2024 court appearances.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori H. Conroy.
I’m Chris Harper, and I’m reporting for TRF News.
Did You Know?
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The Spirit Lake Reservation, home to the Dakota Sioux, spans approximately 405 square miles in northeastern North Dakota.
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Involuntary manslaughter in Indian country is a federal offense, often prosecuted in U.S. District Courts under the Major Crimes Act.
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Child neglect charges in federal court can carry significant penalties, especially when resulting in serious injury or death.