Federal prosecutors said Aaron Scott Hendrickson, 37, who has a history of violence going back decades, is now accused of strangling a child.
On April 4, 2026, the Northern Division of the Eastern District of Michigan, within Indian country on the Isabella reservation, indicted Hendrickson, a Native American, on two counts: Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury and Child Abuse in the second degree.
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Hendrickson is accused of “intentionally committing an act that was likely to cause serious physical and mental harm” to the child, “regardless of whether harm resulted,” by strangling the child.
On April 15, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest in Flint. He was arraigned on April 20 and pleaded not guilty.
“Those charges carry with them the same maximum possible penalties, and that is imprisonment for up to 10 years to be followed by supervised release and or a fine of not more than $250,000 on each of those two counts,” the federal magistrate said this week. “Do you understand what the government is charging you with and the maximum penalties for those two offenses?”
“Yeah,” Hendrickson said, before his court-appointed attorney waived a formal, more detailed reading of the charges. Hendrickson consented to jail pending trial.
Hendrickson’s history of violence
Hendrickson, according to court records, has a history of violence dating back decades. In April 2017, Hendrickson was indicted within Indian country, on the Isabella Reservation, for assaulting his girlfriend, “and someone whom he shares a child in common with.” He was also indicted with three counts of witness tampering.
Records show Hendrickson took a plea to Count One of the indictment: Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender.
Here is part of the plea transcript:
Q. “During -- or as a result of the argument, [victim] left the residence with two of her children, got into a minivan and locked the door?”
Hendrickson: “Yes.”
Q: “And you agree that you followed her out to the vehicle while yelling and swearing at her?
Hendrickson: “Yes.”
Q: “That you attempted to open the vehicle’s front driver’s side door. When you were unsuccessful in doing that, you spit on the windshield and kicked the front driver’s side door a number of times –"
Hendrickson: “Yes.”
Q: “-- and caused damage to that door?”
Hendrickson: “Yes.”
Q: “That you also attempted to open the passenger side door which was locked?
Hendrickson: “Yes.”
Q: “Finally you were able -- you opened the passenger side rear sliding door, correct?”
Hendrickson: “Yes.”
Hendrickson asks ex-girlfriend to assault wife
Hendrickson was also indicted in September 2011 within Indian country on the Isabella reservation for the Saginaw Chippewa Native American tribe. He was convicted of Family Violence in Saginaw Chippewa tribal court in February of 2010.
Court records said that in November 2011, after being arrested, Hendrickson wrote a letter to his former girlfriend asking her to assault his current wife for him. Prosecutors said Hendrickson did this intending “to prevent, influence, or delay the testimony of” his wife during the upcoming jury trial.
Q. “It says here you -- you wrote [ex-girlfriend] a letter telling her to go after [wife]. Is that right?”
A. “Yes.”
Q. “And you did that in order to influence or change or delay [her] testimony. Is that right?”
A. “Yes”
Q. “Were you in -- in jail when you wrote that letter? Which jail were you in?”
A. “Clare.”
Q. “Clare County.”
A. “Clare County.”
Court records show the ex-girlfriend “did get in trouble for an assault.” Hendrickson’s wife was allegedly not hurt, but “it was shortly after this.” Hendrickson then pleaded guilty to witness tampering.
Court records show Hendrickson was also charged with Family Violence under tribal code in August of 2006 and Domestic Violence under Michigan law in Isabella County in January of 2008. According to court records, the victim involved was his spouse in those cases.