Shawnenna Caroline Roland, 39, of Cherokee and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been charged with federal offenses related to child abuse, child neglect, and assault in Indian country. The announcement was made by Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Carla Neadeau of the Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in announcing the charges.
According to allegations outlined in a three-count indictment, Roland is accused of intentionally assaulting a minor child and causing serious bodily injury. The indictment claims that this resulted in permanent and protracted loss and impairment of the child's mental and emotional function. It also alleges that Roland acted with reckless disregard for human life through both willful actions and grossly negligent omissions in caring for the child, which led to serious bodily injury.
Roland is currently held in tribal custody as she awaits transfer to the United States Marshals Service. Authorities emphasize that these are only allegations at this stage; Roland is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson expressed appreciation for the efforts of both the FBI and the Cherokee Indian Police Department during their investigation into this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex M. Scott from Asheville is handling prosecution duties.
