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Danville man charged with death of girlfriend’s 4-year-old boy

Michael P. Atkinson (Photo Provided/Danville Metropolitan Police Department)

DANVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A 24-year-old Danville man has been charged with aggravated battery and neglect of a dependent after the death of a 4-year-old boy, police said Tuesday night.

Michael P. Atkinson was taken into custody Tuesday evening and lodged in the Hendricks County Jail, said a news release from Nate Lien, public information officer with the Danville Metropolitan Police Department.

Danville officers were dispatched to a home Nov. 11 to assist the Danville Fire Department after a call regarding an unconscious 4-year-old boy. CPR was used to revive the boy, but he later was placed on a ventilator and taken to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis. He died two days later.

“The Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the injuries were caused by blunt force trauma, and officially ruled his death a homicide late last week,” the release said.

The boy was the son of Atkinson’s girlfriend. She is not facing charges.

The release also said, “Our department is deeply saddened by the death of this defenseless four year old boy. Our officers, administration and investigators have worked tirelessly since the moment this call came in to bring the individual responsible for this heinous crime to justice. Our investigation included a large amount of executed search warrants, countless interviews, a multitude of evidence, and a sheer determination by everyone within our department to make sure this boy’s horrible death was solved.”

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