Social worker's sentencing in child death delayed

BRYSON CITY, N.C. (AP) – A sentencing hearing has been postponed for a North Carolina social service worker who pleaded guilty to trying to cover up the agency's role after a child's death.

Candice Lassiter, 30, pleaded guilty in April to three counts of forgery related to the police investigation of 15-month-old Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn's death in 2011. In return, prosecutors dropped three counts of obstruction of justice.

Lassiter was scheduled to be sentenced Monday, but that was postponed until Feb. 17.  She faces up to 45 month in prison.    

When she pleaded guilty in April, prosecutors said she agreed to cooperate with authorities who are continuing to investigate her co-workers.

A trial also was postponed until Feb. 17 for Craig Smith, another Swain County social worker charged in the cover up. He has been charged with three counts of obstruction of justice.   

Prosecutors say that after Aubrey's death, Lassiter ordered Smith, a subordinate, to falsify records to make it appear that the Swain County Department of Social Services had done a thorough job investigating allegations that the girl had been abused.

Aubrey's death sparked anger in the Native American community. A member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the girl died after she was rushed to the hospital by great-aunt Ladybird Powell, who began taking care of Aubrey in 2010, shortly before the toddler's mother reported to jail in a marijuana-trafficking case.

Powell told doctors she had put the girl to bed and, when she checked on her a few hours later, she wasn't breathing. A state medical examiner said Aubrey died of undetermined causes, but noted bruises and broken bones.

Some in the tribe say the Swain County Department of Social Services didn't do enough to protect her. Led by Aubrey's great-aunt Ruth McCoy, family members and friends pushed police to investigate.

An Associated Press investigation found that police and social workers were aware of reports that Aubrey was mistreated while she was staying with the woman.

Powell, 39, of Bryson City has since pleaded guilty in the child's death and was sentenced two months ago to 12 years in prison.

David Wijewickrama, a lawyer representing Aubrey's estate, has filed two lawsuits in connection with her death, at least one of which names the county DSS as a defendant, along with Lassiter, Smith and five other current and former social workers. The lawsuit asks for more than $10,000 in damages, and accuses Swain County of not doing enough to protect Native American children.