Gary man charged with murder for allegedly beating 2-year-old Je'Loni Smith to death

GARY, Ind. (WLS) - Lake County, Indiana prosecutors have charged a man with murder for allegedly beating a 2-year-old boy to death.

Prosecutors said police were called to a home Monday for a 2-year-old boy in the 300-block of Arthur Street who they believed had drowned in a bathtub.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7.to watch An autopsy performed on the boy, identified as Je'Loni Smith, found he had suffered blunt force trauma and his manner of death was determined to be homicide.

Prosecutors said it appeared he had been struck in the face, the head, had abrasions on his neck and chest, bruises on his back and buttocks, and suffered a laceration to his liver and bleeding under his scalp.

The Lake County Coroner's Office said there appeared to be no water in his lungs or signs of drowning, prosecutors said.

Prosecutor's said the boy's mother told police she had been hospitalized the day before her son's death and he, along with her other children, were left in the care of her on-again, off-again boyfriend Ricky Larkin. She told police she was concerned for their safety in his care.

Larkin told police he found Smith in the bathtub not breathing and began performing CPR, but it was not successful. Larkin was taken into custody for questioning as a death investigation was launched.

Gary police announced Wednesday that he Larkin has been charged with one count of murder in the death of Je'Loni Smith. He is currently being held in custody in Lake County jail. His next court date was not immediately known.