Mom in child abuse video receives probation

MARINETTE — A Niagara woman who took part in live streaming the physical abuse of her toddler son will get an opportunity for rehabilitation.

Natasha Hunt, 24, was sentenced Tuesday in Marinette County Circuit Court Branch 1. Judge Jane Sequin handed down three years probation, along with a stayed sentence of two years in prison followed by two years extended supervision.

In essence, that means if Hunt violates any provisions of her probation, she will be required to serve the prison sentence.

Hunt was sentenced for physical abuse of a child — intentionally cause bodily harm (party to a crime). A disorderly conduct charge was dismissed, but read in for sentencing purposes.

Sequin also sentenced Hunt to one year in jail, but she will receive credit for 313 days served. The maximum penalty for the felony abuse charge is six years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

A second person also involved in the live streaming, Amara S. Burns, 26, Marinette County Jail address, received a similar penalty earlier this year. Burns was sentenced to three years probation for battery or threat to a judge, prosecutor, or law enforcement officer. She received a stayed prison sentence of 18 months followed by two years extended supervision.

The two women live streamed the physical abuse of Hunt’s son, who was a few weeks shy of his third birthday, in August of 2023.

According to the criminal complaint, in a video that was live streamed on Facebook, the child was sitting on Burns’ lap when the abuse happened. The incident took place Aug. 24, 2023 at Hunt’s residence in the city of Niagara.

“Natasha (Hunt) comes from behind Amara’s person and grabs (the child’s) hair,” Niagara police officer Jesse Parr said in the complaint. “Natasha pulled (the child’s) hair so hard that she was moving his head around in the video, which she did on two separate occasions in the video.”

Niagara police officer Michael Chapman also investigated the case. He described what he saw in the video.

“The juvenile male ... appeared to be sitting on Amara’s lap,” he said in the criminal complaint. “Natasha approached Amara and (the child). Natasha grabbed (the child) by the hair and began to pull violently. Natasha was pulling (the child’s) head in multiple directions. Natasha was looking at the camera with an an angry look on her face. (The child) was saying ‘OW’ repeatedly and began to cry.”

Chapman said at one point, Hunt pulled the child off of Burns’ lap and appeared to still be pulling his hair as he cried. He said Burns made no attempt to stop Hunt.

Hunt also must receive counseling, including a parenting course and anger management program. She cannot have any alcohol or drugs without a valid prescription, including THC whether legal in state or not. She must take all prescribed medications; she cannot frequent bars, taverns, liquor stores or any establishment whose primary purpose is the sale of alcohol; she cannot frequent any dispensary; she can’t have contact with any drug users or sellers except in treatment; she is subject to random drug tests; she can’t have contact with the co-defendant; and she is to have no unsupervised contact with any child under age 18 unless agent recommends and all treatment programs are completed. She also must maintain a full-time job.

“While Miss Hunt did not have any criminal history, this is a serious offense,” Assistant District Attorney Lara Parker said. “This is a very grave offense. In this case, the protection of the community is of utmost importance to the state because the victim here is a child and the purpose of having these statutes for such a high level felony is to protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”

Parker said that Hunt, in the pre-sentence investigation, didn’t take responsibility for her actions. She said the suspect said she was trying to pull the child from the view of the camera.

Parker said Hunt’s sobriety issues must be addressed along with her trauma and problems with parenting.

“Our goal isn’t as much punishment as it is to try to figure out a way to keep this child safe because Miss Hunt is the mother and this is going to be an ongoing problem if we don’t address it now,” Parker said.

The ADA also addressed Hunt’s rough, chaotic upbringing. Parker said she’s concerned about Hunt’s view of the case.

“She denies the seriousness of this offense or at least minimizes what the entire community saw live streamed and how so many citizens called in very concerned for the safety of this child,” Parker said. “The first step in addressing sobriety is to say ‘I have a problem. I need to work on it and it’s going to be an ongoing issue every single day of my life.’”

Defense attorney Bradley Schraven said Hunt has not denied any of the actions when speaking to him. He said Hunt knows what she did was wrong and she’s remorseful.

Schraven also mentioned Hunt’s rough upbringing, and how she’s a much different person when she takes her medications.

Hunt was given a chance to speak. She softly apologized for her actions and promised to take whatever steps necessary to be a better person. Her statement took less than 20 seconds.

Sequin, before handing down the sentence, explained her reasoning. “As his mother, you’re the one person that he should be able to rely on to protect him, to keep him safe,” she said.

The judge said a major concern is that everything was live streamed on Facebook, and Hunt told an investigator she did not pull the child’s hair and was simply trying to remove him from the video.

“It’s hard for me to believe that, frankly, Miss Hunt, because the video speaks for itself and you have a child shown on the video who is having his hair pulled and his head pulled on more than one occasion and is crying and screaming,” Sequin said. She added that it’s difficult to believe Hunt was trying to remove the child from the video.

Sequin said rehabilitation is very important to the sentence.

She said Hunt’s “abusive, chaotic” childhood resulted in mental health issues that must be addressed. She said Hunt’s alcohol and drug use are major concerns. She said Hunt admitted to drinking every day and regularly using marijuana, cocaine and drugs not prescribed to her.

Sequin said she took into account the recommendation from both the state and the defense, which are very similar to one another.

“In your case I do believe that probation is appropriate,” Sequin said. “I do believe that is where we should start with this. You’re a very young person with no prior record.”

She said Hunt knows she has a prison sentence waiting if she doesn’t follow through with the terms of her probation.