An Indiana man has been charged with murder in the beating death of his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son, authorities said.
32-year-old Brice Bainum was arrested Tuesday, two days after Michigan City Police officers found his alleged victim unresponsive inside a Normandy Drive home.
The boy was rushed to Franciscan Hospital and then flown to the University of Chicago Children’s Comer Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 7:02 p.m. Sunday.
An autopsy showed that the boy suffered multiple injuries including a brain bleed and was covered in bruises. His death was ruled a homicide.
The boy’s mother initially lied to detectives saying that Bainum would not hurt the victim and that the victim “really looked up to him” but later gave completely different statements.
The woman said her boyfriend felt jealous when she showed the child “too much attention” and would abuse him in cruel manners.
Bainum claimed the boy bit him and was “disrespectful” on the day he reportedly beat him “really hard” after making him take a 15-minute cold shower.
When the mother tried to intervene, Bainum reportedly told her “F--- you, he is not going to bite me.”
The boy eventually became unresponsive and cold to the touch from the assault but Bainum took the phone from the mother for more than an hour after she tried to seek help.
“She said Brice told her that we (police) are not her friend,” charging documents revealed.
Bainum is being held in LaPorte County Jail on murder charges. His bond was set at $1 million.
