Amber Marie Burnett faces two felony charges after allegedly abusing two children with a belt and a taser.
According to court documents, Great Falls police officers responded to the Department of Health and Human Services on February 28 for a report of two juveniles under 10 years of age with suspicious bruising.
When asked about the bruising, Burnett stated that one child had been playing with a Siberian Husky and that the husky had bit the child a few days before.
Burnette also said she believed some of the first child’s bruising happened at school.
For the second child, Burnett stated the child had been knocked to the ground by the Husky and had also had been hit in the face by a snowball.
A doctor examined the children and said some of the marks and injuries could be from a dog, but that others appeared to be grab marks.
In a March 22 interview, Burnett said she was having problems with the children’s school and mentioned one child being iron deficient.
She told the detective that she has spanked one child when “he is out of control” and described using sit-ups and push-ups as punishment.
Burnett also denied grabbing the children too hard at a doctor’s appointment despite third party witnesses accounts to the contrary.
After her cell phone was seized and a search warrant was issued to search the phone, detectives found web history about parenting classes, the child welfare system, injury and accident lawyers, and questions concerning what happens when abuse and neglect is reported and what is child abuse and how to spot it.
Burnett had also texted an individual stating, “I am lucky I am not sitting in jail.”
A counselor at the children’s school told detectives that the kids go to school dirty and hungry. The counselor had observed constant bruising and said the children provided different stories about the bruises while also remaining guarded.
The counselor also described instances where Burnett had yelled at the kids in the hall and said they need to be punished more.
The court documents state that most of Burnett’s interactions with the school are explosive.
School staff were fearful for the children and stopped calling Burnett based on her explosive reactions. Staff tried to care for the children’s needs at the school unless it was absolutely necessary to contact Burnett.
The counselor reported that since the children have been in placement, they have come to school bathed, fed, and in overall good condition.
Burnett’s former roommate was interviewed and had video surveillance of the abuse. He provided the evidence to the GFPD.
The documents continue that Burnett was aware of the surveillance and approved because she thought it would catch one child stealing food.
The former roommate described how Burnett would yell and beat the children and that one child had been tased with a civilian taser while the other screamed in fear. The former roommate intervened and took the taser away.
The former roommate also said Burnett would use a belt on the kids a few times a week.
Surveillance footage shows Burnett grabbing, yelling, and striking the children in several incidents.
Although detectives are still reviewing the videos, an immediate arrest warrant was issued due to the severity and nature of the charges.
Court documents note that the behavior captured on video is concerning and difficult to watch and also contradicts Burnett’s accounts.
Burnett faces two felony charges for assault on a minor and two misdemeanor charges for endangering the welfare of a child.
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