unnamed girl
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CANDID ID: SD_22_891
AGE
8   years
STATE
South Dakota
DATE OF DEATH
8/13/2022
DEATH RECORDS
Not Available
STATE REPORTS
Not Available
SUMMARY OF DEATH
On August 11, 2022, in Mission, South Dakota (on the Rosebud Indian Reservation), the father of an 8-year-old girl called 911 reporting she was unresponsive, blaming the injuries on the child's 9-year-old sister. The 8-year-old had been accused of 'violating bathroom privileges,' and the father forced the 9-year-old to 'beat up' her younger sister as punishment. The child was flown to Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls and placed on life support. She died on August 13, 2022, after being taken off life support. An autopsy revealed traumatic head injuries, multiple rib fractures at various stages of healing, and multiple cuts and bruises; the cause of death was traumatic brain injury due to non-accidental trauma. Authorities determined the fatal injury was likely inflicted previously by the father and the symptoms were exacerbated by the older sibling's forced actions. Evidence showed the father had a pattern of striking both girls with a belt, a slipper, and a work boot. The father, Noah White Lance III, was initially charged with first-degree murder in federal court but was ultimately sentenced to 18 years in federal prison on charges of voluntary manslaughter and child abuse.
Contexts/Conditions

Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?

Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?

Is there any mention of a firearm incident?

Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?

Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

Both documents describe inflicted injuries extensively. The Kansas City article states: "She said she and her sister were beat with the metal part of a belt, a slipper and their dad's work boot." The father made the 9-year-old "beat up" her sister. The decoded Rapid City Journal article indicates "White Lance and the 9-year-old were hitting the now dead girl the day she was taken to the hospital." The autopsy revealed "traumatic head injuries, multiple rib fractures at various stages of healing, and multiple cuts and bruises."

Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?

Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?

Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?

Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?

Is there any mention of sexual abuse?

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

The Kansas City article states: "The cause of death was determined to be traumatic brain injury due to non-accident trauma." The decoded Rapid City Journal article describes the brain trauma as "acute, chronic, non-accidental and consistent with child abuse." Traumatic brain injury from non-accidental trauma constitutes abusive head trauma by definition.

Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?

Multiple indicators of prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment are present. The Kansas City article states: "An autopsy revealed traumatic head injuries, multiple rib fractures at various stages of healing, and multiple cuts and bruises," indicating repeated injuries over an extended period. The decoded Rapid City Journal article describes the brain trauma as "acute, chronic, non-accidental and consistent with child abuse," with "chronic" indicating ongoing abuse. The father "would strike both girls in the past with various objects, including a belt, a slipper and [his] work boot." He also forced the 9-year-old to beat up her 8-year-old sister as a form of discipline for minor infractions like "violating bathroom privileges." This pattern of using children as instruments of punishment against one another constitutes deliberate cruelty beyond typical physical abuse.

Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?

Individuals Involved

Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?

Was a biological father involved in the death?

Both documents identify the perpetrator as the child's biological father. The Kansas City article repeatedly refers to him as "the father," "the dad," and "their dad." The 9-year-old sister told authorities: "my dad did it because he beat her too much." The decoded Rapid City Journal article identifies him as Noah White Lance III and indicates he was the father of both girls.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?

Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?

Was a foster parent involved in the death?

Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?

Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)

Was a sibling involved in the death?

The 9-year-old sister was directly involved in the death. The Kansas City article states: "the father made the older sister 'beat up' her sibling" and "The fatal injury was likely inflicted previously and the symptoms were exacerbated by the older sibling." The decoded Rapid City Journal article states that child witnesses indicated "White Lance and the 9-year-old were hitting the now dead girl the day she was taken to the hospital."

Child Characteristics

Was the child adopted?

Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?

Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?

Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)

Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?

Parent/Caregiver Factors

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

The decoded Rapid City Journal article states that a federal grand jury indicted Noah White Lance III, 33, on Nov. 8 for first-degree murder, assault with a dangerous weapon to a child, assault resulting in serious bodily injury to a child, and child abuse. The Kansas City article states: "the 34-year-old Rapid City father has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on charges of voluntary manslaughter and child abuse."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?

Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

Notable Details

Several notable details emerge from the documents. First, the case was in federal court because the alleged crime occurred on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and the father (Noah White Lance III) is an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, a significant jurisdictional detail. Second, the father initially blamed the 9-year-old sister for the injuries, telling 911 that the sibling "grabbed her hair and pulled her down." Third, the autopsy finding that "the fatal injury was likely inflicted previously and the symptoms were exacerbated by the older sibling" (Kansas City article) indicates the father's prior beating was likely the fatal blow, not the sibling's forced actions. Fourth, there is an apparent plea deal: Document 1 describes initial first-degree murder charges (carrying mandatory life), while Document 2 reports he was ultimately sentenced on voluntary manslaughter and child abuse charges to 18 years. Fifth, the father forced the 9-year-old to assault her own sister as a form of discipline for "violating bathroom privileges" — weaponizing a child against her sibling.

Lives Cut Short