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RAPID CITY, S.D. – A Rapid City woman was found not guilty Wednesday in a case in which she was charged in the death of her infant niece.
Courtney Martinez-Martin was found not guilty of second-degree murder and abuse or cruelty of a minor.
The 7-week old girl died just days after Martinez and her boyfriend, Shamar Bennett, had watched her in their Rapid City home in November of 2022. Charges against Bennett were later dropped and Martinez-Martin went to trial for the child’s death.
Pennington County State’s Attorney Lara Roetzel had stepped aside from the case due to a previous conflict with the victim’s family. Instead, the case was prosecuted by Brookings County State’s Attorney Daniel Nelson.