NW Indiana man charged in the death of girlfriend's son, 5

SCHERERVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A northwestern Indiana man has been charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend's 5-year-old son, whose bruised body had fresh bite marks.

Michael J. Tunstall, 26, was arrested Friday on murder and aggravated battery charges. He was being held without bail at the Lake County Jail, pending a Monday initial hearing.

The Schererville boy died Thursday from blunt force trauma to the head and torso/abdomen due to multiple heavy strikes that left him with a ruptured left lung, according to court documents.

A coroner's examination showed that the majority of those injuries happened one hour before the boy died, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

A police officer who saw what appeared to be fresh bite marks and some bruising on the child's body at a Dyer hospital asked Turnstall about those injuries.

The Schererville man replied that he played a 'œbite game'ť with the boy and that did that to 'œcalm him down,'ť according to court documents.

Online court records do not list an attorney for Turnstall who could speak on his behalf.