ELDRIDGE, Iowa — An Eldridge truck driver is in an Indiana jail following his potential connection to the death of a 4-year-old boy.
According to the LaGrange County Sheriff's Office, Dylan Diericx, 35, was charged on Tuesday, August 24 with neglect of a dependent resulting in death.
The charge is classified as a Level 1 felony, the most serious type before murder. If convicted, Diericx could face a sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison.
Police in Shipshewana, Indiana were reportedly called, by Diericx, to investigate the injured child on August 19.
As reported by The News Sun, the boy had multiple serious injuries including fractures to his clavicle and shoulder blade, facial bruises, abrasions and lacerations to his genitalia, and blunt force trauma to the head.
These injuries ultimately resulted in the child's death after Diericx's failure to seek medical attention for his serious injuries, according to the sheriff's office.
Authorities have not released the name of the child.
Diericx claims the child's injuries were a result of "horse-play," reported The News Sun. He also told authorities the child, who is the son of Diericx's girlfriend, has been under his supervision since August 15.
Police arrived on scene to the unresponsive child in the sleeper of Diericx's truck. He later told authorities the child had been injured "by accident" at least three times, according to the report.
The child was airlifted to a medical center in Fort Wayne where he later died.
Court documents state hospital staff told police the child's injuries did not match Diericx's story.
Additional charges are possible and may come from other jurisdictions, said the sheriff's office.
Diericx is due back in court on September 13.
