PHOENIX—On October 2, 2012, Brice Little, 29, of Parker, Arizona, pleaded guilty to child abuse in federal district court in Phoenix.
According to the plea agreement, Little, a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, was caring for a 4-month-old child on March 29, 2011, while the child’s mother was out. Little heard a noise and found the baby on the floor, in medical distress. Although Little was aware that the baby needed medical care, he did not seek medical treatment. When the mother returned, the child was taken to the hospital.
A conviction for child abuse carries a maximum penalty of 22 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. Sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Martone on December 17, 2012.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Colorado River Indian Tribal Police, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Dyanne C. Greer and Jennifer E. Green, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
