Trio sentenced for neglect, endangerment that almost ended with child's death

Three people living on the Red Lake Indian Reservation have been sentenced in U.S District Court for felony child neglect and felony child endangerment.

Robin John Roy, 55, Nicole Robyn Roy, 29, and Harrison Edwin Dudley Sr., 36, were sentenced to a combination of prison and probation for denying children necessary food, health care, and supervision.

According to court documents, the trio were responsible for the treatment suffered by the children between February 2022 and January 2023, with one of the victims suffering from severe anemia as a result of malnourishment. Despite repeated efforts by healthcare providers to intervene, the child almost died.

Evidence discovered during the trial in February also showed that some victims suffered from prolonged lice infestations that progressed to life-threatening scalp infections.

All three individuals were found guilty of felony child neglect, with Nicole Roy and Dudley also found guilty of felony child endangerment. Robin Roy was sentenced to 24 months of probation, Nicole Roy to 12 months and a day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and Dudley to four months in prison.

U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel said she had balanced each individual's relative culpability and the relative nature and circumstances in the sentencing. "The children in this case, and all of the children like them, deserve better," Judge Brasel said.

This sentencing comes a month after five other members of the Red Lake Nation were sentenced to prison for their role in a separate child abuse case , with one defendant sentenced to 18 years in prison as a result.

Related: Five members of the Red Lake Nation sentenced to prison in foster child abuse case