Child dies at local day care

A 4-month-old baby was pronounced dead Thursday after he stopped breathing at a Bloomington day care. Responding officers also found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in an upstairs apartment.

Bloomington police officers responded to a call at 3:38 p.m. Thursday at the Pride and Joy day care, located on West 8th Street, that a 4-month-old child was not breathing.
The infant was taken to Bloomington Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The boy was the youngest of six children at the day care.

Christopher Courts, 33, and his half brother Rick Ewing, 37, were the only adults present when police arrived.

Police could not locate their mother, who runs the day care.

Officers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from an upstairs room, where the men’s apartment is located.

“After a warrant was granted, officers discovered marijuana, drug paraphernalia and an unknown white powder,” the police report said.

Courts and Ewing were arrested on preliminary charges of maintaining a common nuisance, a Class D felony; and possession of marijuana, a Class A misdemeanor.
The white power will be sent to a lab to determine what substance it is.

Lt. David Drake of the Bloomington Police Department said they take items to the lab only once a month. It will take months to determine what the powder is, Drake said. Depending on the outcome of the lab results, the two might face additional charges, he said.