Warsaw man charged with murder in toddler's beating death

WARSAW, Ind. (AP) - A northern Indiana man has been formally charged with murder after admitting he fatally beat his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter and then buried her body in a shallow grave, authorities say.

Christopher A. Grimmett, 29, of Warsaw is being held in the Kosciusko County Jail with no bond after being charged Monday in the death of 2-year-old Adalin Stamper. An autopsy determined the child died from multiple blunt force injuries.

The girl's body was found wrapped in white trash bags in a shallow grave in the backyard of the home where Grimmett's brother lives, Detective Todd Sautter of the Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department said in a probable cause affidavit.

Sautter said Grimmett told him that he baby-sat the girl at his brother's home and the child's maternal grandmother picked her up before Grimmett left in a taxi. A taxi driver confirmed he picked up Grimmett but also told the detective he observed blood on Grimmett's clothing, according to the affidavit.

A subsequent search "found substantial blood in the home" and freshly turned dirt in an area of the backyard where leaves had been cleared, the affidavit said.

The affidavit included no details about a possible motive for the death.

Grimmett is expected to make his initial appearance in court Thursday. It's not clear whether he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.