Man accused of killing 3-month-old during sexual assault

PESHAWBESTOWN -- A Leelanau County man is accused of killing his baby daughter during a sexual assault.

Federal investigators say Steven Deuman of Peshawbestown killed the 3-month-old on August 12 . Deuman was arrested on August 18, the same day Federal officials issued a murder complaint.

7&4 News first told you about the death investigation last week but FBI investigators were not able to release details on the crime. The suspected crime scene is a home on the 32-hundred block of M-22 in Peshawbestown. It's on federal land belonging to the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

Deuman has a preliminary hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.

1. I, David Kleinpaste, am a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and have been so employed for approximately 22 years.

2. The information in this Affidavit was obtained from police reports, medical reports, and interviews conducted by various law enforcement officers, specifically including FBI Special Agent S. Robert Birdsong.

3. Special Agent Birdsong has been employed with the FBI for approximately 22 years. He is currently assigned to the Detroit Field Office, Traverse City Resident Agency. Special Agent Birdsong has investigated various types of federal criminal violations, including Indian Country matters. His duties include investigating violations of federal law that take place in Indian Country, as defined by the United States. The reservation of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, located in Peshawbestown, Michigan, is Indian Country, as defined by the United States.

4. I make this Affidavit in support of an Application for a Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrant for STEVEN WILLIAM DEUMAN, an Indian Male, age 26, for murder. The information in this Affidavit establishes probable cause that, on August 12, 2011, STEVEN WILLIAM DEUMAN, an Indian, killed ED, a minor child of approximately three and one half months of age, during the perpetration, or attempted perpetration, of aggravated sexual abuse, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1111 and 1153. The relevant facts of the case include the following:

5. STEVEN WILLIAM DEUMAN is the biological father of ED. He and ED's biological mother, Natasha Maitland, reside at 3291 North West Bayshore Drive in Suttons Bay (Peshawbestown), Michigan. The residence is located on land held in trust by the United States of America for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

6. STEVEN WILLIAM DEUMAN is an enrolled member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. DEUMAN's Grand Traverse Band enrollment number is 4091.

7. STEVEN WILLIAM DEUMAN was interviewed by FBI Special Agent Robert Birdsong on August 13, 2011, and provided the following statements: During the afternoon and evening of August 12, 2011, DEUMAN was at home at 3291 North West Bayshore Drive, and he was providing care for his son, SD III, aged approximately three years, and his daughter, ED. Also present that day at 3291 North West Bayshore Drive were DEUMAN's half brother, Silvano Manon Southbird, Veronica Reynaga, and their three minor daughters. DEUMAN stated that, at some point in the early evening, he provided ED a bottle and placed her on the bed in the bedroom he shares with his wife and children. DEUMAN stated that he arranged pillows above the baby's head, and he placed a comforter around her right side and feet, so as provide her access to her bottle and also to restrict her movement on the bed. The south side of the bed was pushed against the wall of the bedroom. According to DEUMAN, ED was healthy and happy, and she showed no signs of distress when he placed her in the bed, or as he left the bedroom. DEUMAN stated that he then went outside the house to smoke a cigarette. Both DEUMAN and Natasha Maitland, who was also interviewed by Special Agent Birdsong, acknowledged that, they had never seen ED either roll onto her stomach or crawl.

8. DEUMAN stated that, while he was smoking the cigarette, he heard ED cry, and that he subsequently experienced a "bad feeling." He stated that he then took two quick puffs on his cigarette, threw the completed cigarette into a can, and walked into the house to see if ED needed him. DEUMAN estimated that he had been out of the room and away from ED for a period of two to seven minutes. DEUMAN stated that, after he entered the bedroom, he found ED on the floor, between the head of the bed and the wall, lying face down and not moving. DEUMAN stated that he picked the baby up and noted she was limp and did not appear to be breathing. DEUMAN stated that no other person had entered the bedroom where ED was laying during the two to seven minutes he was out of the room.

9. DEUMAN stated that ED had blood around her nose and mouth, and that he found a used condom in baby's mouth. He stated that he immediately pulled the condom out of ED's mouth and threw it onto the floor of the bedroom. DEUMAN described the condom as being used, unrolled, and of the type and brand he uses when he engages in sexual intercourse with Natasha Maitland. DEUMAN stated that he believed ED rolled off of the bed and sucked the used condom into her mouth while lying on the floor. DEUMAN also stated that the fall from the bed may have killed ED. DEUMAN was unable to provide any explanation for how ED could have rolled off the bed, past the pillows and comforter; and onto the floor.

10. DEUMAN stated that he called his brother, Silvano Southbird, into the bedroom, and Mr. Southbird advised DEUMAN that ED needed to go to the hospital. DEUMAN then called Natasha Maitland, and advised her that ED was not breathing. Neither DEUMAN nor Mr. Southbird called 911, but instead got into Mr. Southbird's automobile began driving towards Munson Hospital in Traverse City. While en route, the men observed Natasha Maitland pass them northbound and returned to their residence, where Natasha Maitland examined ED for vital signs. Ms. Maitland called 911, and she and ED were then driven towards Munson Hospital by Veronica Reynaga, Mr. Southbird's girlfriend. DEUMAN remained at 3291 North West Bayshore Drive for a short period of time before driving towards Munson Hospital on his motorcycle. Ms. Maitland and Ms. Reynaga were directed to the roadside by 911 operators and Emergency Medical Personnel arrived and began life saving procedures. DEUMAN caught up with the ambulance at this point, and thereafter followed the ambulance to the hospital.

11. ED was transported to Munson Hospital by Emergency Medical personnel. Upon arrival at Munson Medical Center, ED was treated by Dr. Marc Krakow. Dr. Krakow stated that his observations of ED were indicative of choking. Dr. Krakow noted that ED had blood in her mouth and throat consistent with choking. Dr. Krakow reported that, while he had spoken with STEVEN WILLIAM DEUMAN at the time he was treating ED, DEUMAN did not inform Dr. Krakow that he, DEUMAN, had found a used condom in ED's mouth. After Officer Kobi Amor later advised Dr. Marc Krakow of DEUMAN's statement regarding the condom, Dr. Krakow opined that ED could not have choked on the used condom in the manner described by DEUMAN.

12. ED was pronounced dead at Munson Medical Center at 2053 hours on August 12, 2011.

13. The body of ED was subsequently transported to Spectrum Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where her body underwent an autopsy performed by Dr. David Start, a forensic pathologist. After performing the preliminary autopsy Dr. Start concluded that ED had died from pulmonary edema resulting from an artificial blockage of her airway. Dr. Start did not find any evidence of ED having suffered any injury consistent with a fall from a bed or any blunt force trauma. Having been informed of DEUMAN'S recitation of the events surrounding the death of ED prior to conducting the autopsy, Dr. Start advised the sequence of events described by DEUMAN were inconsistent with his examination and the state of ED's body. Dr. Start advised that ED's death is consistent with asphyxiation.

14. A search warrant was executed at 3291 North West Bayshore Drive by Special Agents of the FBI and the Michigan State Police Evidence Response Team. The agents and officers observed what appeared to be a blood stain on the carpet of the bedroom used by DEUMAN and Natasha Maitland, at the eastern end of the bed. A bloody condom was also observed in the bedroom and collected. The mattress and box springs sit directly on the floor of the bedroom, and do not rest on a frame.

I'm with you. I shut down and walked away but couldn't erase it from my memory. Sick beyond comprehension. Then another thought came to me. This took place on a reservation. Articles about crimes which take place on reservations are infrequent. Now consider

"...the American Psychiatric Association’s bible of mental illnesses — the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), set to undergo a significant revision by 2013. Critics warn that their success could lead to the decriminalization of pedophilia."link

and then consider the more frequent reports of this activity emanating from Islamic societies. This report appears to all too conveniently fuel 'tu quoque' (they did it too mentality), given the American Psychiatric Association’s recent attempt to decriminalize this repulsive behavior. Would 7&4 News dig beyond the initial reports to fully identify (name, location, tribe etc) to use in the future as balance against ME social misfits under the new APA's standards -- which make no mention of the doctrinal links to these common behaviors in Islamic societies?

He should die slow. Suspended over a low fire, where it takes days before his flesh begins to cook, keep him alive with IV fluids and stimulants so it takes weeks for him to die, and for the last 48 hours, force him to consume himself. Put the remains in an anonymous disused latrine pit and let the piece of sh*t be buried in sh*t forever.

Give these freaks a fair trial.

Because even the worst dirtbag deserves a fair trial.

When they are conviced, beyond a reasonable doubt, take them out back behind the courthouse and shoot them.

Because anything else is more effort than they deserve.

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