Police: Baby found dead had adult bite marks

July 30, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

TROY, Ohio

An 8-month-old boy who died from multiple injuries appeared to have adult bite marks, including one on the leg, police say in court records.

Police in the western Ohio city of Troy arrested Caleb Durig’s parents on charges of felony child endangering Monday after responding to a 911 call from them and finding the baby dead. The Miami County coroner has ruled the death a homicide, but no additional charges have been filed as of Thursday afternoon against 29-year-old Jason Durig or 27-year-old Tara Durig.

County Prosecutor Gary Nasal said Thursday that police were still waiting on forensic evidence and other pieces of the investigation to be processed.

Jason Durig was convicted of child endangering in 2007 for scalding a child, Nasal said. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

The Durigs were in the Miami County jail on $50,000 bond each. Court records did not list attorneys for them.

The parents said in the 911 call about 11:45 a.m. Monday that the boy was not breathing. Tara Durig told a dispatcher that Caleb’s nose was clogged with blood and that he was fine when they checked on him about 10:30 a.m.

Jason Durig told police that he woke up Monday morning and Caleb was still asleep, according to the report. When Durig checked on the baby again later in the morning, Caleb was cold and not breathing, he told police.

Police at the scene reported that “this was not what appeared to be a fresh death,” according to Miami County court records.

There was blood on the floor around the baby, and blood was splattered on the crib rail, according to an affidavit filed with a search warrant in the case.

An autopsy Tuesday found Caleb died of multiple blunt force trauma, and the police reported finding many bruises and signs of possible strangulation.

When police arrived at the home, Jason Durig “made the comment that he knew the parents were the first to be looked at in this situation, and that he did not kill his son,” the report said.

Durig said he did not know where Caleb’s bite marks came from, and his wife had no explanation for the baby’s injuries, police said.

Tara Durig’s father, Stephen Hamant, declined to comment when reached Thursday at his home in nearby Piqua.