Justice Served: Federal Government Settles with Survivors of Child Abuse at Indian Health Service Facilities

The federal government has reached a significant settlement with survivors of child sexual abuse perpetrated by Stanley Patrick Weber, a former pediatrician who worked at Indian Health Service (IHS) hospitals on the Blackfeet and Pine Ridge reservations for over three decades.

A Pattern of Systemic Failure

Weber’s case represents one of the most disturbing examples of institutional failure to protect vulnerable children in federal healthcare settings. Despite numerous red flags and complaints raised by colleagues, parents, and healthcare professionals over the years, Weber was allowed to continue practicing medicine and abusing Native American children from the 1990s through 2015.

The timeline reveals a troubling pattern:

• Early warning signs: Colleagues at his previous assignments noted inappropriate behavior with Native American boys
• Ignored complaints: Professional references shared concerns about Weber’s interactions with young boys, but IHS failed to document these warnings
• Systemic cover-up: When Dr. Dan Foster and Dr. Becky Foster raised alarms about Weber’s behavior in Browning, they were dismissed and accused of being homophobic
• Continued abuse: Weber was simply transferred from the Blackfeet Reservation to Pine Ridge, where he continued abusing children for another two decades

The Settlement Details

The federal government has now settled with 20 survivors across two rounds of litigation:

First Settlement (2022): $14.5 million for eight survivors, including three Blackfeet tribal members who held the government liable for violating treaties dating back to the 1850s that obligate federal authorities to protect tribal members.

Recent Settlement (2025): $18 million for 12 additional survivors who came forward in the second round of litigation.

Legal Representation: Yellowstone Law and Crew Janci Secure Historic Settlements

The fight for justice for Weber’s survivors was led by a dedicated legal team consisting of attorneys Shane Colton and Tanis Holm with Yellowstone Law, working in partnership with co-

counsel Peter Janci with Crew Janci. This collaborative effort was instrumental in achieving what represents one of the largest settlements for institutional child abuse in federal Indian healthcare.

Strategic Legal Approach

The legal team employed several innovative strategies to establish government liability:

Treaty-Based Claims: For the Blackfeet survivors, the attorneys successfully argued that the government violated treaties dating back to the 1850s that obligated federal authorities to protect Blackfeet tribal members from harm by outsiders. This approach established a unique legal foundation for the government’s duty of care.

Federal Institutional Negligence: The team meticulously documented IHS’s pattern of ignoring complaints, failing to investigate credible reports, and negligent supervision that enabled Weber’s continued abuse across multiple decades and locations.

Comprehensive Case Development: The legal team conducted extensive investigations, gathered decades of institutional records, interviewed numerous witnesses, and built comprehensive cases demonstrating the government’s systemic failures.

Overcoming Federal Government Resistance

Pursuing these claims required the legal team to overcome significant obstacles inherent in litigation against federal agencies, including sovereign immunity protections, complex jurisdictional issues, and the government’s substantial resources. The successful outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the partnership between Yellowstone Law and Crew Janci in handling complex institutional abuse cases.

Ongoing Commitment to Justice

Even with these significant settlements, the legal team acknowledges that Weber’s full scope of abuse may never be fully known. “We know that there are many, many more (survivors),” Colton stated. “We feel confident, just given the time and lack of supervision, that there were likely hundreds.” Both Yellowstone Law and Crew Janci remain committed to assisting additional survivors who may come forward.

Moving Forward: Healing and Justice

While no amount of money can undo the trauma these survivors endured, the settlements provide crucial acknowledgment of their suffering and the government’s failures. Many survivors have been able to access necessary mental health treatment and begin rebuilding their lives.

The courage shown by these survivors in coming forward has not only secured justice for themselves but has helped expose systemic problems that endangered countless other children. Their willingness to speak out has led to meaningful reforms that will help protect future generations.

The Importance of Holding Institutions Accountable

This case demonstrates why it’s crucial to hold government institutions accountable when they fail to protect vulnerable populations. The survivors’ legal action has:

• Secured financial compensation for their suffering
• Forced institutional changes to prevent future abuse
• Brought public attention to ongoing problems in federal Indian healthcare
• Validated the experiences of survivors who were ignored for decades

For other survivors of institutional abuse, this case shows that even when powerful institutions try to cover up wrongdoing, persistent legal action can eventually secure justice and meaningful change.