Red Lodge man sentenced in child assault case

HELENA - A Red Lodge man was sentenced to 20 years at the Montana State Prison for assaulting a 9-month-old baby in 2019, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today. The man fractured the baby's skull and left the baby, who is now 6 years old, partially blind and with ongoing and significant cognitive difficulties.

Nathan Samuel Polakoff, 27, was convicted in July 2023 of assault on a minor. In April 2019, Red Lodge Police responded to a 911 call at Polakoff's residence. When officers arrived, they found Polakoff carrying the 9-month-old child that appeared to be lifeless and saying the boy was not breathing. An officer was able to detect shallow breaths and the boy was brought to Beartooth Billings Clinic before being transported directly to a hospital in Salt Lake City.

"We will not tolerate violence against children in Montana. I'm proud of our prosecutors who secured justice in the case - they did excellent work. As attorney general, I will ensure that we continue to fight to keep our communities and families safe and hold criminals accountable,"Attorney General Knudsen said.

Polakoff initially told law enforcement that the child fell off a futon two days prior. Doctors, however, identified the injuries as the result of two separate force events. A treating doctor noted that the two severe skull fractures and retinal hemorrhages in both eyes were consistent with a child "violently slammed into something causing an acceleration/deceleration injury with impact."

Polakoff also instructed the victim's mother and aunt not to tell law enforcement that he had been alone with child.

Assistant Attorney General Selene Koepke prosecuted the case with the assistance of Carbon County Attorney Alex Nixon and the rest of the Carbon County attorney's office. The case was investigated by the Red Lodge Police Department.