GARY, Ind. — A tragic incident in Gary, Indiana, resulted in the arrest of 32-year-old Ricky Larkin, who is being charged with the murder of a 2-year-old boy under his care. The Gary Police Department revealed that the young victim, Je’Loni Smith, was allegedly subjected to fatal blunt force trauma.
Law enforcement officers were dispatched to a home on the 300 block of Arthur Street on Nov. 4, following a distress call around 5:30 p.m. about an unresponsive toddler. The call was initially made by personnel from the Gary Fire Department who had arrived at the scene first.
Upon their arrival, police found the child lifeless, and Larkin, who was at the scene, reported that he discovered Je’Loni unresponsive in the bathtub and had attempted CPR, which proved unsuccessful. The boy was subsequently declared deceased at Methodist Northlake Hospital.
As officers conducted a preliminary examination at the home, they observed noticeable swelling on the child’s body. This troubling find led to the involvement of the Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, which took charge of a thorough investigation into the death.
The subsequent autopsy by the Lake County Coroner’s Office determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma, refuting Larkin’s initial claim of a possible drowning. The examination also revealed that Je’Loni’s body was dry, casting further doubt on Larkin’s account of the events leading up to the boy’s death.
Further inspections of the premises revealed the home in a state of disorder with a metal bat found conspicuously near a bed, suggesting a possible link to the fatal injuries Je’Loni suffered.
The authorities were informed that Larkin had been temporarily entrusted with the care of Je’Loni while the child’s mother was hospitalized following a drug overdose. Although the mother had reluctantly allowed Larkin to look after her son due to his known history of violence, she had little choice under the circumstances. Furthermore, on the day of the incident, Larkin had reportedly expressed his unwillingness to continue caring for the child, telling the mother to come and retrieve her children as he had other commitments.
During his interaction with the police, Larkin adamantly denied inflicting any harm on Je’Loni. However, as questioning progressed, Larkin eventually conceded that the child’s severe injuries could have only been caused by physical abuse. Adding to the chilling nature of the case, he also remarked that the death may have been “karma” for his own misdeeds.
Larkin, who also admitted to being under the influence at the time, was arrested and is currently held at Lake County Jail without bond. Police continue their investigation into this harrowing case, as the community reels from the shocking death of a young child under such brutal circumstances.