Independent news from the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance

Summer Many White Horses: Sentenced to 55 years for negligent homicide of toddler

Summer Many White Horses - Associated Press photo
Summer Many White Horses - Associated Press photo

It’s  been an emotionally draining day for many people  connected to the death of toddler James Many White Horses, according to relatives of the boy.

About 30 minutes ago, Judge Julie Macek sentenced the boy’s mother, Summer Many White Horses, to 55 years in the Montana State Women’s Prison for negligent homicide and evidence tampering. Police found the boy after arresting the mother who led police on a car chase in Great Falls, Mont., in July 2008.

I talked with Leona Gopher, maternal aunt to Many White Horses. She said the family is deeply saddened by the death of  James.  And they are also asking questions about why he died.  “The child protective services , the state, failed summer and her kids. She was a habitual offender. Why did they keep giving her kids back to her?” said Gopher of Yakima, Wash. Gopher drove to Great Falls to attend the hearing. “We feel sorry for the baby how lived, the sad little life he had.”

Many White Horses plead guilty on June 12, 2009.

Gopher said she felt sad for her niece and her children. An 11-year-old was in the car during the police chase last summer. Gopher said the family is upset by the negative publicity surrounding the toddler’s death. “The system knew she needed help. They should have helped if they were going to place the children with her.” Many White Horses has lived in Missoula, Browning and Great Falls, according to relatives who I talked with today. Many White Horses was enrolled with the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana.

Gopher said her niece told the family the boy died in a fall. She then said she was afraid to report the death because she didn’t want to return to prison.

“Only Summer and God know what happened,” said Gopher. “She was at fault for hiding him.”

The family’s remaining wish is that the boy finally be buried.
Jodi Rave

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear

Jodi Rave Spotted Bear is the founder and director of the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, a 501-C-3 nonprofit organization with offices in Bismarck, N.D. and the Fort Berthold Reservation. Jodi spent 15 years reporting for the mainstream press. She's been awarded prestigious Nieman and John S. Knight journalism fellowships at Harvard and Stanford, respectively. She also an MIT Knight Science Journalism Project fellow. Her writing is featured in "The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity," published by Columbia University Press. Jodi currently serves as a Society of Professional Journalists at-large board member, an SPJ Foundation board member, and she chairs the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee. Jodi has won top journalism awards from mainstream and Native press organizations. She earned her journalism degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

3 Comments

  • flutter1

    Thank you for the link to my site. It is very true that James lived a short, sad life and that he was failed by many. I hope his story reminds us all that our children are precious gifts to be cherished and protected by all that know them.

  • Roberta Gould

    Very sad for this child and all children that live with neglect and no love….I will not judge but we must not turn our heads when we suspect that a child needs help and intervention….May God help us all.

  • deanna

    I am still upset with this. I love Summer’s children. I am still hurt and don’t know what to say.

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