I first started at the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer as an intern in the summer of 1996. That would begin six years as a news reporter, sports reporter and copy editor for a small, six-day-per-week daily newspaper in northern Minnesota. I wrote a large range of stories from multiple beats, to features to sports, my favorite being the coverage of the Red Lake Reservation High School basketball team named the Warriors. Here is a collection of my stories from my time at the Pioneer.
Nov. 12, 1999
By Devlyn Brooks
In the wake of the recent death of 8-year-old Brenda Swearingen, now is not the time to point fingers, but to reassert efforts to protect all children, Leech Lake Tribal Chairman Eli Hunt said Thursday.
Swearingen, a Leech Lake band member, who was living with a legal guardian in Minneapolis, was severely beaten Nov. 2 after she allegedly failed to perform a chore up to the expectations of a 33-year-old man living with her guardian.
The girl, allegedly beaten by Kevin A. Lange, who lived with Terri L. Allen, the girl's great-aunt and legal guardian, died later the same day.
Being Swearingen was a member of the Leech Lake band, her placement in Allen's home was the result of not only the work of county social services but the band's social services as well. Since the death, the Leech Lake Tribal Council has received numerous calls from people complaining about how Swearingen could have been placed in that dangerous situation, Hunt said.
He added, however, that placements are the responsibility of several agencies, and it is not time to heap blame upon anyone.
"Anytime we experience a tragedy of this nature, the tendency is to immediately point fingers of blame or to chastise the involved systems and agencies for failure to fulfill their responsibilities," Hunt said in a statement. "Convicting and prosecuting the person or persons responsible for committing this heinous crime against Brenda is now in the hands of the judicial system. where it belongs."
Hunt said, however, the tragedy has renewed the efforts of the Leech Lake Tribal Council to ensure the safety of all children, a priority the council established a year ago. He added that a review and analysis of the band's youth programs and services has been designated as a priority of the Leech Lake tribal government and administration.
"As Leech Lake chairman, I challenge every individual to take a loot at what each of us can do to protect our children from all forms of abuse," Hunt said. "What can we do to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are convicted and removed from society so that they cannot bring harm to another child? We need to ensure that state and tribal governments commit financial resources necessary to operate effective child protection services and youth programs."
Hunt added that the tribal government already has taken two steps to help protect children. First, last year the Tribal Council established a youth division and committed $600,000 to fund the program. And the band has established an in-house legal department -- staffed by two band members who are licensed attorneys -- which will assist social services staff with legal counsel involving child protection and placement services to "further ensure that the best interests of the child are met."
In addition, Leech Lake officials and staff also will be meeting and working with county and state agencies to review all policies and procedures involving child placement services to ensure that laws and regulations address the best interests and protection of the child, Hunt said.
"These are just a couple of the initiatives Leech Lake has already implemented towards protecting and preserving our most valuable resource -- our youth," he said. "The members of the Leech Lake Tribal Council are deeply saddened by the recent tragic death of 8-year-old Brenda Swearingen. Our sympathy and support goes out to the family and friends of Brenda."
A funeral for Swearingen, whose mother was raised on the Leech Lake Reservation, was held Tuesday in Cass Lake.
Lange was charged Monday with second-degree murder and malicious punishment of a child in connection with Swearingen's death. Allen, Lange's half-sister, was charged with endangering a child, child neglect and providing false or misleading information to aid Lange in the crime.
Also on Monday, a judge revoked Allen's legal guardianship over Swearingen's 7-year-old brother and two sisters, ages 6 and 4. All three had lived with Allen for about eight months and had also been abused, according to a criminal complaint.
"We want people to know this didn't go unnoticed," Hunt said. "This was a tragedy that didn't need to happen."
(This story contains material from the Associated Press.)
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