Child dead after suffering brain injury

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) - At 2:30 a.m. Thursday, a child died after a suffering a brain injury.

The child's mother and her girlfriend were arrested and are being preliminarily charged in connection to the death.

Bloomington Police officers and detectives arrived to the 2300 block of S. Henderson St. at 8:19 p.m. Tuesday in response to a 2-year-old child who was having difficulty breathing.

The child was transported to IU Health Bloomington Hospital where medical personnel found indications of possible child abuse, according to a report.

Medical staff at the hospital told Bloomington Police that the child had a severe head injury and bruising from what appeared to be from older injuries.

The child was transported to Riley Hospital for continued treatment.

The child’s mother, Tameria Kline, and the mother’s girlfriend, Dominique Irby, were brought to the Bloomington Police Department for questioning.

Irby admitted to officers that she had abused the child before while the child’s mother watched. Both the mother and the girlfriend denied abuse that caused the brain injury, officers say.

Irby has been initially charged with battery on a minor, a Class D felony, and Kline has been charged with neglect of a dependent, a Class D felony at this time.

Detectives continue to investigate the case and are working with staff at Riley Hospital to determine what caused the brain injury.