advertisement

Man wanted in death of 2-year-old girl found dead in crib

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - Police in northeastern Indiana are searching for a man who's charged in the January death of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter.

Thirty-year-old Shane A. Patton was charged Monday with neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and neglect of a dependent by placing a dependent in a dangerous situation.

The Journal Gazette reports he's charged in the Jan. 27 death of Jocelyn "JoJo" Belcher, whose body was found in her crib, wrapped tightly in a blanket.

A coroner ruled her death a homicide due to neck compression, and a post-mortem physician found the child's injuries consistent with a hand being placed over her mouth and neck.

Her mother, 28-year-old Crystal Belcher was arrested last week on the same charges as Patton. Belcher, who has four other children, remains jailed.

___

Information from: The Journal Gazette, http://www.journalgazette.net

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.