Jasper Simpson

Jasper Simpson

Toddler's Death Ruled Homicide

Police: Officers Found Child Not Breathing At Apartment

INDIANAPOLIS -- The death of a 22-month-old boy in Shelbyville has been ruled a homicide.

Officers were called to the Martin Estates Apartments, on the city's north side, late Monday evening, Shelbyville Police Chief Bill Elliott said.

Medics found Jasper Simpson was not breathing and began CPR on the child. The boy later died at Riley Hospital for Children.

The Marion County coroner ruled Wednesday that Simpson died of blunt-force injuries to his head.

No arrests had been made Thursday evening.

Update:

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Aug. 5, 2011) -- Shelbyville police have a person of interest in the death of a 22-month-old boy.

Officers were called to the Martin Estates Apartments, on the city's north side, late Monday evening, where Jasper Simpson was found not breathing. He later died at Riley Hospital for Children.

According to a police report, the boy's mother told officers her son struck his head on a trunk and got sick. She said she put him on the couch only to find him later not breathing.

The Marion County coroner ruled that Simpson died of blunt-force injuries to his head.

Shelbyville police contacted 6News on Friday after neighbor Elaine Stickle said she witnessed abuse at the home, 6News' Stacia Matthews reported.

"All of a sudden, he (a man at the home) reached over and he slapped that baby with a thud, and that baby went flying into the patio door," Stickle said. "I said, 'Was that necessary?'"

Stickle told 6News she wishes she had called police.

"That was the only time I ever saw that child being hurt up there. It just didn't register," she said.

Police said they have a person of interest but are not releasing that person's name.

They are waiting for results of a pathology report, which could take weeks, before turning the case over to the prosecutor.