Man arrested in death of 2-year-old boy

Kyle Robinson, a 32-year-old Ellettsville man, was arrested Wednesday in connection with the death of 2-year-old Gavin Harper, according to a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office report.

Lead detective Sgt. Brad Swain, who made the arrest, said Robinson initially denied any involvement with the child’s death in December. Swain said he maintained his story for several weeks that he found the child in physical distress. He later admitted to having caused the death of the boy when presented with the facts of the autopsy, Swain said.

Swain said a 911 call came in on Dec. 28, reporting that the child was unresponsive. By the time medics arrived, the child was already in full cardiac arrest. He was later pronounced dead at Bloomington Hospital.

Robinson is the boyfriend of the child’s mother, who went on a quick trip to the grocery store and left the boy in Robinson’s care, Swain said. Swain said the investigation is ongoing, but Robinson told investigators that the “child hit his head on the floor at some point” while Robinson was holding him. Robinson has no prior convictions and maintains the incident was accidental, Swain said.

Robinson is facing preliminary charges of involuntary manslaughter, a Class C felony. He is being held at the Monroe County Correctional Facility until further investigation.