A 32-year-old man in Indiana has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son. Ricky Larkin was taken into custody this week and charged with one count of murder in the brutal slaying of young Je’Loni Smith, authorities announced.
According to a news release from the Gary, Indiana Police Department, officers at about 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2024, responded to a call for assistance at a residence in the 300 block of Arthur Street, about 160 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The call came from the Gary Fire Department in reference to a 2-year-old child inside the home that was not breathing.
Upon arriving at the scene, first responders located the toddler, saying the child was unresponsive and “appeared to be lifeless.” An adult male at the home said he was the victim’s father and told authorities the toddler was “in the bathtub when he discovered him not breathing.” The supposed father — later identified as Larkin, who is not the boy’s father — said he performed CPR but couldn’t resuscitate the child.
Emergency medical personnel transported the child to Methodist Northlake Hospital for treatment, where he was later pronounced dead.
“The Gary Police Department officers on scene and Gary Fire Department observed some swelling to the child and at that time notified supervisors to contact Lake County Prosecutor’s Homicide Task Force, as well as Lake County Coroner and Lake County Sherriff Crime Scene Investigations,” the release states. “Members of the Homicide Task Force began a death investigation awaiting the autopsy.”
One day after Je’Loni’s death, an autopsy conducted by the Lake County Coroner’s Office determined that his manner of death was a homicide and the cause of death was blunt force trauma. The coroner found no signs of drowning.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by Chicago Fox affiliate WFLD provided additional details about the circumstances of the toddler’s untimely death.
According to the report, authorities were immediately suspicious of Larkin’s story about the boy being in the tub because he was not wet. A search of the home, which was a mess, turned up a metal bat police said had been “placed conspicuously” near the bed.
Police later learned that Larkin was watching the boy because the victim’s mother had been hospitalized the previous day from a drug overdose, but said that because of his history of violence and drug use, she only did so reluctantly. The day of Je’Loni’s death, Larkin reportedly called and told the toddler’s mom to get the kids because he “had stuff to do.” He claimed he was giving the victim a bath because one of the mom’s friends was going to come pick the boy up, which is when the incident took place.
Asked if he ever disciplined the kids with violence, Larkin reportedly stated he “doesn’t hit kids,” explaining that any bruises on Je’Loni’s body were probably the result of slipping in the tub. However, police said he changed his story after persistent questioning about Je’Loni’s injuries, agreeing that the toddler’s injuries could only be the result of physical abuse.
Larkin then reportedly told police that Je’Loni’s death was “karma” for all of the “dirt” he’d done in his life. He also admitted that he was high when Je’Loni died.
Larkin is currently being held in the Lake County Jail without bond.
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