Iowa man charged in death of four-year-old boy in LaGrange County

LAGRANGE COUNTY, Ind. – Charges have been filed against an Iowa man for the neglect of a 4-year-old who died on August 19, according to the probable cause affidavit. 

Dylan Diericx is facing a preliminary charge of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, a level one felony. 

Diericx told investigators he was the only person who had been caring for the victim from Sunday, August 15 until Thursday, August 19, according to the probable cause affidavit. 

During his time with the victim, Diericx said he had witnessed or had been made aware of three different incidents in which the victim had been injured by accident or while Diericx was engaged in a form of horse-play with the victim, according to court documents. 

The most recent incident happened on August 19, when Diericx had been throwing the victim on the bunk located in the sleeper of his semi-tractor, reports said. At one point, the victim struck his head on a fixed object. 

This incident resulted in the victim convulsing and then becoming unconscious, court documents said. 

Diericx failed to get proper medical attention and treatment for the victim, which resulted in the victim being airlifted to a hospital and ultimately, the victim’s death, according to court documents. 

The medical staff at a Fort Wayne hospital examined the victim and said that the injuries the victim sustained are not consistent with the explanations given by Diericx, according to documents. 

The victim sustained multiple injuries on his body, including fractures to the clavicle and shoulder blade, bruises and abrasions on his face, burises on his forehead, laceration and blunt force trauma to the back of his head, injuries to his genitalia, cuts to his arm, a busted lip, and burns around his mouth and on other parts of his body, court documents said. 

Diericx is in the custody of the LaGrange County Jail on a $250,000 bond.