Prison inmate dies of apparent suicide

A former Polson man serving time for shaking his baby has died as the result of an apparent suicide attempt.

According to a news release from the Montana State Prison, inmate Christopher Huntsman, 36, died Tuesday, May 1 at The Billings Clinic.

Huntsman was found unresponsive in his cell at Dawson County Correctional Facility where he was being housed.

The release said an autopsy will be performed.

Huntsman was sentenced out of Lake County in 2010 for the crimes of aggravated assault, criminal endangerment and probation violation for a 2002 charge of theft.

Huntsman was sentenced to 35 years with 25 years suspended.

According to a previous Lake County Leader story, Huntsman was arrested and held on $100,000 bond in 2010 after his wife took their three-month-old child to St. Joseph’s Medical Center.

The infant’s injuries were consistent with being shaken and local law enforcement was called to the hospital.

During an interview with detectives at the time, Hunstman admitted to shaking the baby for approximately 30 seconds to make her stop crying.

The child, who was flown to Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane, Wash., because of severe head trauma and bleeding from the brain, was released a few days later and was reported to be doing well.

Huntsman has been parole eligible since 2012.