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Nathaniel Saunsoci-Mitchell

Died September 24, 2007
20-months old

Foster care death:

Cause of death: Cause of death still being investigated, but it has been determined his death was not from natural causes. The child's body did show evidence of trauma. Nathaniel had previous injuries in the form of dog bites on his face, a broken clavicle and a broken leg that was in a cast.

Foster Home: Tribal foster home of Carlos and Tisha Vega of South Sioux City (5 of their own children and 5 tribal wards)

From the family: Nathaniel would bring his hands together when he wanted "more!" He placed his hands on his mouth when he was hungry. He put one hand over his heart to say "love." His mother said, "I hope that whoever did it to him gets arrested and locked in prison or executed," she said. "They just can't get away with this. It's not right."

News articles below

NEWS ARTICLES:

1/28/07 - Closer to answers

1/21/07 - No charges yet in the death of 20-month-old

1/20/07 - No charges yet in death of 20-month-old

9/29/06 - We all loved him so much' Family buries 'Baby Nathaniel'

Closer to answers

January 28, 2007

More than four months since 20-month-old Nathaniel Saunsoci-Mitchell died while living with a South Sioux City foster family, significant questions about his death remain unanswered.

Chief among them: What was the exact cause of death? Will criminal charges be filed?

In a news release issued shortly after the boy died in September, Dakota County officials said, "... it was determined that the child's death was not from natural causes. The child's body did show evidence of trauma." Disturbing words, indeed.

In the past, we have criticized Dakota County Attorney Edward Matney, who is leading the investigation, over a lack of public information about the case. In fairness, we give him credit today for finally holding a news conference to talk about the probe. At his briefing last week, Matney discussed the status of the case, shed light on the challenges facing investigators, and shared some new details, including the name of the foster family with whom Nathaniel was living. He said he expects to have a final autopsy report by the end of the month and said no decision has been made on whether criminal charges will be filed. His briefing was informative but not harmful to the investigation.

It's important for law enforcement to keep people apprised about high-profile investigations over which much interest exists. That's particularly true when such investigations stretch for months and it seems to the general public as if little or nothing is happening. Due to Matney's news briefing, the public better understands where this case stands, the unique difficulties it presents and the reasons for what appears to be slow progress.

The next step should be public release of the infant's official cause of death, followed by a decision on criminal charges. Matney can file charges himself, decide no charges are warranted, or take what he has to a grand jury for consideration.

They have been slow in coming, but the public may be getting closer to having answers to those significant questions.

No charges yet in the death of 20-month-old

January 21, 2007

DAKOTA CITY, Neb. -- Describing a situation of being hamstrung in dealing with multiple jurisdictions, reaching foster family members and still waiting for a final audit report, Dakota County Attorney Ed Matney said there have been no criminal charges filed four months after the death of 20-month-old Nathaniel Saunsoci-Mitchell.

Nathaniel would have turned 2 today.

"There are a lot of challenges with this particular case that are fairly unique," Matney said during a 40-minute press conference Friday. "We are moving forward. It is kind of a slow and painstaking manner."

On Sept. 22, 2006, Nathaniel was taken to Mercy Medical Center -- Sioux City with head injuries, then flown by air ambulance to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he died on Sept. 24. An autopsy was conducted in Sioux City the following day.

Matney said Nathaniel not only suffered "traumatic injuries that led to his death," but he had previous injuries in the form of dog bites on his face, a broken clavicle and a broken leg that was in a cast. "He had a lot of health challenges in his young life," Matney said.

Matney described a foster child with Omaha Nation heritage who "died in a place that was supposedly safe for him." For the first time, the name of the foster family, Carlos and Tisha Vega of South Sioux City, was released.

Matney said he understands that the case is top-of-mind for many Siouxlanders. He said "society in general wants quick action. Victim's families are even moreso." He said he's not worried a three-year statue of limitations for filing charges will run out, adding that he's most driven by the fact that "the family wants closure."

Nathaniel was the son of Nathan Mitchell and Jacki Saunsoci, both members of the Omaha Tribe. He was buried at the Omaha Indian Cemetery in Macy, Neb., on Sept. 28.

He suffered from asthma, making it difficult for his young mother, who was 17 at the time of his birth, to care for him. His grandmother, Olivia Saunsoci, said Jacki Saunsoci completed alcohol and drug rehab classes, but could not be granted custody of Nathaniel because she had a criminal record.

Matney said, "I am mystified at the placement of Nathaniel Saunsoci in the Vega household. The Vega household was quite full." He described five Vega children and another five tribal foster wards.

"A decision to place Nathaniel, that baby, in a household that size, is puzzling ... I hope a situation like that can be avoided in the future," Matney said. He said he was heartened by Omaha tribal officials asking "for an audit of their child protection agency," on where children are placed as foster wards.

He said it has taken an extended time to interview all the people in the Vega home that day. The tribal foster children were removed and placed elsewhere after Nathaniel's death, he said, which caused delays until those children, roughly age 10 and under, could be located and interviewed.

In such a full home, "when something bad happens ... there are a lot more people to look at," Matney said.

He's pointed to a 3-inch-thick binder with key case information, and said there are a couple more full boxes of documents related to the case. Matney said he's conferred with a lot of investigators. The Nebraska State Patrol is leading the investigation and the South Sioux City Police Department has been involved. The Nebraska Health and Human Services Department has also been helpful, he said.

Matney said he has the option of filing charges or calling for a grand jury to consider criminal charges. That grand jury option could be pursued, he said, since the grand jury comes with extra subpoena powers to compel testifying, something he does not have.

Pathology Medical Services of Siouxland pathologists are handling the autopsy, and Matney said he expects to receive a final written autopsy report "by the end of the month." Matney said he's been verbally appraised of the autopsy details. He said Pathology Medical Services, not being located in Nebraska, "don't have to help us out at all" on the case, but have been good to work with.

"Until we get that last piece (autopsy), we can't even get a final death certificate," he said.

Among the other "jurisdictional issues (that) can be quite a challenge," Matney said one slowing factor is that Nathaniel was treated at one time for injuries in a South Dakota hospital. Another factor was that a key member of the Nebraska Attorney General office Matney worked with left the position.

Matney said he's appreciated the Saunsocis working with him and their patience. Matney said anyone with pertinent information on the case has "a moral obligation to come forward," either through calling Crimestoppers or his office.

No charges yet in death of 20-month-old

January 20, 2007

DAKOTA CITY, Neb. -- Dakota County Attorney Ed Matney said there have not been charges filed four months after the death of 20-month-old Nathaniel Saunsoci-Mitchell.

"There are a lot of challenges with this particular case that are fairly unique," Matney said near the conclusion of a 40-minute press conference Friday. He described a situation of being hamstrung in dealing with multiple jurisdictions, family members and still awaiting a final audit report. "We are moving forward. It is kind of a slow and painstaking manner."

On Sept. 22, 2006, Nathaniel was taken to Mercy Medical Center-Sioux City with severe head injuries, then life-flighted to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he died on Sept. 24. An autopsy was conducted in Sioux City the following day.

Matney described a foster child with Omaha Nation heritage that "died in a place that was supposedly safe for him." For the first time, the name of the foster family was released: Carlos and Tisha Vega of South Sioux City.

Matney said he understands that the case is top of mind for many Siouxlanders. He said "society in general wants quick action. Victim's families are even moreso." He said he's not worried a three-year statue of limitations for filing criminal charges will run out, adding that he's most driven by the fact that "the family wants closure."

Nathaniel was the son of Nathan Mitchell and Jacki Saunsoci, both members of the Omaha Tribe.

A slowing detail was that there were about 10 children in the Vega home, with five of their own and five tribal foster wards.

Pathology Medical Services of Siouxland pathologists are handling the autopsy, which Matney said he expects to forward a final written autopsy "by the end of the month." Matney said he's been verbally appraised of the autopsy details. He said Pathology Medical Services, not being located in Nebraska, "don't have to help us out at all" on the case, but have been good to work with.

We all loved him so much' Family buries 'Baby Nathaniel'

By Nicole Paseka, Journal staff writer
September 29, 2006

MACY, NEB. -- Black smoke curled into the air Thursday morning before a tiny white coffin arrived at the Omaha Indian Cemetery in Macy, Neb.

Two grandfathers and a great-grandfather of the child who was to be buried kept watch over the flames near the open grave.

"Even the fire itself represents life," said Adrian Saunsoci, member of the Omaha Nation. "Without that fire, we wouldn't be able to live."

Nathaniel Saunsoci-Mitchell, the 20-month-old son of Jacki Saunsoci and Nathan Mitchell, was buried at 10:30 a.m. at the Omaha Indian Cemetery, directly on top of his paternal grandfather's grave.

"Because he wasn't raised with his father's family, in this sense, we are giving him back," said Adrian Saunsoci, who in the Omaha Tribe's culture is considered one of the child's grandfathers. His biological sister is Olivia Saunsoci, the mother of Jacki Saunsoci.

"His grandfather will hold him in his arms," Adrian Saunsoci said.

Family members wept as they took turns shoveling the earth back upon the grave. Two red heart-shaped balloons that said "I love you" were released into the air on the chilly autumn morning, quickly disappearing from view.

Children carried flowers and toys to Nathaniel's grave, including miniature plastic horses and stuffed teddy bears.

More than 100 people attended the ceremony, circling around Nathaniel's coffin.

"The circle is one of the biggest symbols of Native life," Adrian Saunsoci said. "Nathaniel is in the middle. Nobody told them where to go. It just happens."

Nathaniel's great-great grandmother, Sarah Dick, wept throughout the ceremony, her hands cupped to her face. Dick said she never was able to meet Nathaniel because he was shuffled from home to home, and she is disabled and does not get around easily.

The hardest part of the tragedy is not knowing what really happened to Nathaniel, the great-great grandmother said.

"I just imagine everything," she said. "Maybe he was crying ... or whether he was knocked out and didn't hurt. It's like a puzzle, and a piece of it is missing. I need to find that missing piece."

Nathaniel died Sunday at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha after suffering severe head injuries. He was living with a South Sioux City foster family when his injuries occurred.

The Sioux City Journal has chosen not to print the names of Nathaniel's last foster parents unless criminal charges are brought against them.

Nathaniel also endured two breaks to his collar bone, a broken leg and a dog-bite to his nose while living in foster care, members of the Saunsoci family said.

No criminal charges have been filed against the child's foster parents or anyone else. The case is under investigation by the Dakota County Sheriff's Office. Criminal charges, if any, would not be filed until the investigation is completed.

Evan Saunsoci, another grandfather of Nathaniel's, said he has heard negative comments about American Indians since the child's death, including online feedback on the Sioux City Journal's Web site. He said it upsets him that people are so close-minded.

"As soon as they hear the word 'reservation,' they think the worst," Evan Saunsoci said. "It's not like that."

Evan Saunsoci said he knows Nathaniel was sent here for a reason.

"Maybe that reason is to show that our children are being mistreated," he said.

All of the Saunsoci family members said they wanted more than anything for Nathaniel to remain on the reservation with them.

Nathaniel suffered from severe asthma, and it was difficult for his young mother, who was 17 at the time of his birth, to care for him. Jacki Saunsoci completed rehabilitation classes for alcohol and drug abuse and also took a parenting class, her mother, Olivia Saunsoci, said. Olivia Saunsoci could not be granted custody of Nathaniel because she had a criminal record.

While Jacki Saunsoci was in rehabilitation, Nathaniel lived with his first foster parents, Robert and Susan Goodburn, who were shocked to learn of the child's death.

"He was a sweet little boy, and I wished they would have left him here," Susan Goodburn said on Wednesday.

Officials try to keep American Indian children in American Indian foster homes. After living with the Goodburns, Nathaniel lived with Jacki Saunsoci's sister, Tiara Saunsoci.

But he was removed from Tiara Saunsoci's home because of his medical problems, his grandmother, Olivia Saunsoci, said.

From there, Nathaniel went to live with another foster family in South Sioux City, where he remained until his death. The Saunsoci family said the foster parents were not members of the Omaha Nation nor the Winnebago Nation, and that the foster father was not American Indian.

Jacki Saunsoci remained calm throughout the ceremony and carried a scrapbook full of cute photographs of her apple-cheeked, smiling son.

"He was very sweet. He was really smart. He was very loveable. He meant everything to me," Jacki Saunsoci, 18, said after the ceremony. "He was my first baby, and everybody loved him."

Jacki Saunsoci said she knows Nathaniel is happy now.

"I don't want to grieve too much because his soul's not going to rest (if I continue to grieve)," she said.

Jacki Saunsoci's voice never trembled except when she spoke of the person or persons who might have harmed Nathaniel.

"I hope that whoever did it to him gets arrested and locked in prison or executed," she said. "They just can't get away with this. It's not right."

Young cousins who surrounded Jacki Saunsoci chatted about happy times with Nathaniel, such as when they taught him baby sign-language.

Nathaniel would bring his hands together when he wanted "more!" He placed his hands on his mouth when he was hungry. He put one hand over his heart to say "love."

Nathaniel loved chocolate-chip cookies and often had chocolate covering his face, said cousin Josephine Saul, 8.

Josephine smiled at the memory. "We all loved him so much."

Journal staff writer Nicole Paseka can be reached at 712-293-4276 or nicolepaseka@siouxcityjournal.com.