Jewel Sky Fineday (Northern Peace Funeral Home)
A Minnesota father will spend the next five years in prison after he allegedly starved his 7-year-old daughter to death, neglecting her in “nearly every way,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Julius Fineday, Sr., 42, “willfully deprived” his daughter Jewel Sky Fineday of food, health care and other basic needs between Jan. 1 and her death on Christmas Day 2022, prosecutors said in a press release. While her father had the resources to feed her, Jewel was “not just thin, but skeletal” at the time of her death, said Chief Judge Patrick J. Schlitz.
Jewel died of malnutrition and a Group A Streptococcal infection caused by neglect, according to prosecutors. She had head lice, and her father prevented her from going to school where she could have received meals. He also did not take her to the doctor for three years other than to receive COVID vaccinations when the family received financial incentives, prosecutors said.
Fineday pleaded guilty to one count of felony child neglect, causing the death of a child on March 25. A jury convicted his co-defendant, Sharon Rosebear, Jewel’s grandmother, in April. She is awaiting sentencing.
Schlitz said he could have imposed a stiffer sentence but did not because Fineday took responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty and showed “sincere remorse,” prosecutors said. He said, “neglecting or abusing a child will result in negative consequences not only for the child, but also the responsible adult.” Schlitz urged parents to “pickup the phone” to seek help.
Jewel was given the Native American name Miikawaddizimikinaakikezens, which means Beautiful Turtle Girl, her obituary said. She enjoyed watching TikTok videos and playing hide-and-seek.
“Jewel was a very quiet girl and when Grandpa would sing and beat his drum, she would dance hard and out dance all the other kids,” the obituary said.
Federal prosecutors handled the case because the crime occurred on a Native American reservation.
More on Law&Crime: Florida woman allegedly left her 3 young children at home in the middle of the night to work an unexpected late shift at Wawa
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
