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Mother charged in son's death

Jessica Lee Jensen, 35, Kenmare, made her initial court appearance Monday in Minot after being arrested and charged Friday (March 21) with the Class AA felony of homicide with great indifference to human life, and the Class C felony of abuse or neglect of a child.

3/26/14 (Wed)

Aiden Bossingham, left, died Jan. 12, according to court documents, and his mother Jessica Jensen, right, has been charged with a Class AA felony of homicide in his death, as well as a Class C felony of abuse or neglect of a child.

By Marvin Baker

Jessica Lee Jensen, 35, Kenmare, made her initial court appearance Monday in Minot after being arrested and charged Friday (March 21) with the Class AA felony of homicide with great indifference to human life, and the Class C felony of abuse or neglect of a child.

Jensen is charged in the Jan. 12 death of her 13-year-old son Aiden Bossingham.

According to a criminal complaint filed in North Central District Court in Minot, count 1 alleges that Jensen willfully caused the death of her son by starving him, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.

On count 2, Jensen is alleged to have willfully failed to provide proper parental care or control, subsistence, education as required by law, or other care or control necessary for the child’s physical, mental, emotional health or morals. It is further charged that Jensen willfully failed to provide proper education for two other children in her care.

 Capt. Bob Barnard of the Ward County Sheriff’s Department said the investigation took two months primarily because of the age of the deceased and because the State Medical Examiner’s office found it necessary to have several of its autopsy tests done outside of North Dakota.

“It took a long time for an opinion,” Barnard said. “The double AA felony charge is based on information uncovered during the investigation.”

Barnard added it was necessary to wait until all medical reports were finalized before authorities could reach a conclusion on why the child died.

The North Dakota Century Code, states the maximum sentence for a Class AA felony is life in prison without parole. A Class C felony carries a maximum penalty of five years and/or a $5,000 fine.

Bond for Jensen has been set at $250,000 and the court has approved a court-appointed attorney to represent her.

In addition, Jensen is to have no contact with her estranged husband Charles Jensen, or the two children.

According to a statement released by the Ward County Sheriff’s Department, Jensen called Minot Central Dispatch on Jan. 12 to report that her son was deceased.

Emergency responders found the boy not breathing and unresponsive. He was transported to the Kenmare hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Kenmare Police Department and the Ward County Sheriff’s Department began an investigation that included gathering evidence and treating the home as a crime scene. Barnard said the investigation into Aiden’s death continues... Read EVERY WORD on EVERY PAGE of The Kenmare News by subscribing--online or in print!