Cause of death determined for Ind. toddler found in shallow grave
WARSAW, Ind. – An Indiana toddler found dead in a shallow grave died of blunt force trauma, a coroner tells CBS affiliate WTTV.
Police arrested a Warsaw man on murder charges Friday after they say he killed the 2-year-old girl and buried her, the station reports.
According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Christopher A. Grimmett, 29, was taken into custody Friday morning. Deputies responded Thursday night to a custody complaint. Grimmett told them he’d been taking care of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter, Adalin Stamper, when the girl’s maternal grandmother came to pick her up.
Police didn’t believe Grimmett’s account of what happened and traced his steps to his brother’s home. The station reports that police got permission from his brother and sister-in-law to search the property, where they found a shallow grave in the backyard. Adalin’s body was reportedly inside.
Police said a statement Grimmett made led to his arrest, although they haven’t released details of that statement.
Kosciusko County coroner Anthony Ciriello told the station Friday night the girl died from multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. Other lab tests were still pending, but he said the cause of death was “evident.”
Grimmett is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail.
