Judge refuses to accept plea deal for man accused of handcuffing 9-year-old as punishment

Judge Gary Lee refused to accept a proposed plea deal for a 24-year-old Minot man charged with child abuse and accused of handcuffing a 9-year-old boy in 2016 as punishment.

Christian L. Ratliff is scheduled to go to trial Monday on the Class C felony charge. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine and be ordered to register as an offender against children.

According to court documents, Ratliff and his wife, Emerald Elizabeth Ratliff, had been guardians of the boy. On Sept. 26, 2016, police received a report that Christian Ratliff had handcuffed the boy and made him sit on his knees for up to 30 minutes as punishment. Ratliff had also allegedly made the boy stand in place, staring at a wall and holding a heavy bucket of sand, or made him kneel looking at the wall or hold his hands above his head for long periods of time.

The state and the defense had made joint recommendations that Ratliff be allowed to plead guilty to an amended charge of child neglect and that he be given a deferred imposition of sentence for one year. If he complied with all recommendations, the charge would have been dismissed.

Ratliff's wife entered into a pre-trial diversion agreement with the state last year.

Ratliff's defense attorney, Raissa Carpenter, said in court on Wednesday that the Ratliffs have complied with all the recommendations made by Ward County Social Services, including parenting classes, and their case has been closed. The Ratliffs have two young children of their own. The alleged victim in the case no longer lives with them. Carpenter said that both of the Ratliffs had "rough backgrounds" and they were grateful for the help they received from Social Services that has enabled them to be better parents. She said they had agreed to take the boy in because his mother had legal and drug problems and the boy had more behavioral problems than they were equipped to handle. No one had taught them appropriate parenting techniques. Ratliff is the sole breadwinner of the family and being forced to sign the child abuse registry would mean he couldn't live at home, said Carpenter.

Lee said he could not approve the plea agreement "in the interest of justice."