Okfuskee County Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Neglect on Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation

An Okfuskee County resident has entered a guilty plea for child neglect, according to the Eastern District of Oklahoma’s U.S. Attorney’s Office. Joanna Lee Higgins, age 33, admitted to failing to provide necessary care to two children over a year-long period while responsible for their well-being. The indictment stated that Higgins, from Okemah, did not supply adequate nurturance, food, clothing, shelter, sanitation, hygiene, medical care, and supervision between January 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024.

The neglect occurred within the jurisdiction of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, a detail that brings into stark relief the intersection of federal and tribal law. This case was part of an investigation led by the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a tandem that speaks to the collaborative efforts across jurisdictional boundaries. The fact that the violation happened on tribal land added layers of complexity to the investigation and subsequent judicial proceedings.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason A. Robertson presided over the court session, where Higgins’ plea was accepted. As part of the next steps in the legal process, Judge Robertson has ordered a presentence report to be completed to guide the subsequent sentencing phase. The gravity of Higgins’ admission wraps the families involved in a tapestry of legal consequences and, more importantly, a wake-up call on the care and protection of children under one’s guardianship. As of now, Higgins awaits her sentencing while in the custody of the United States Marshal Service.

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Paladino took the helm in representing the U.S. in this case. The Department of Justice released these details through an official announcement on the

U.S. Attorney’s Office

website.

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