The man accused of beating a 3-year-old Ogema boy to death last October is now being charged in federal court.
Sterling Kyle Andersen, 23, of Duluth, is facing felony first and second-degree murder charges for the killing of three-year-old Steven Warren.
Andersen’s case falls under the federal government’s jurisdiction due to the Tribal Law and Order Act, which is assigns major crimes such as murder, felony assault, sexual assault and child abuse.
This case fit the criteria for federal jurisdiction, which means Becker County District Court dismissed its charges.
Becker County Attorney Gretchen Thilmony was appointed a Special Assistant United States Attorney and will continue to participate in the prosecution of Andersen in federal court.
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The medical examiner concluded that the child’s cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries due to assault.
Charging documents include autopsy information that indicates the child, Steven Warren, had head and extensive abdominal trauma with over 26 fresh bruises to the boy’s stomach and several other bruises and abrasions to his head.
According to investigators, Andersen, who was dating the child’s mother, was the only person with him at time.
Although Andersen initially told police the child had bumped his head on a log outside, Andersen reportedly confessed to striking the child because he would not stop crying, but stated he did not know how many times he struck him.
According to the report, Andersen told police, “I just lost control.”
The child was transported to St. Mary’s EMS, then transferred to Sanford Health in Fargo, where he died around 4:15 p.m. that day.
