Bemidji Man Charged In Connection With Toddler’s Death Appears In Court

Nathan Daniel Jackson mugshot courtesy the Beltrami County Jail.

A Bemidji man charged with two counts of manslaughter in connection with a toddler’s death appeared in Beltrami County Court on Monday. His original omnibus hearing was scheduled more than three months ago after the death of his foster child, according to the Bemidji Pioneer.

Nathan Daniel Jackson, 39, was taken into custody on June 5, after the drowning death of 2-year-old Kira Friedman at a home on the 700 block of Lake Avenue. According to the original complaint, Bemidji Police Officer Buford spoke with Jackson, who said he had placed the two-year-old in the shower at around 7:30 a.m. The defendant said was a laundry bin in the shower with the child, and when he came back to check on the child after leaving for an unspecified amount of time, he found the girl in the bin, filled with water.

Jackson said when he pulled her out she was still breathing, but she didn’t “seem right” but that he didn’t know “she was that bad.” Jackson dressed her and laid her down in her bed, according to the report. She was declared deceased at the scene.

At a later court hearing in June, autopsy documents revealed that there were noted bruises and superficial cuts on the girl’s body, as well as reddish-pink fluid running from her nose.

Friedman was a foster child living in Jackson’s home. She is one of two foster children, and six children living under the care of Jackson and his fiance. Health and human services officials had reportedly expressed concern numerous times about Jackson and his fiancé, Amanda White’s care of foster children, according to court documents. The documents also state that police suspect Jackson of using drugs.

Jackson and White were licensed through the Leech Lake Band of the Ojibwe, but not through the state.

According to state records, Jackson has a criminal history dating back to 1995, after he was convicted of disorderly conduct. Later that year, he was convicted of third degree property damage. Jackson has also been convicted of assault in the 5th degree, theft, 1st degree DWI, driving with a suspended license, driving with a revoked license and numerous traffic violations.

Jackson will appear again in court on January 17, for a contested omnibus hearing, according to the Pioneer.