GREELEY, Colo. — A 2-year-old boy suspected to have been abused by his mother’s boyfriend died early Wednesday morning, the Greeley Police Department said.
Police were called to the Friendly Village mobile home park at 200 N. 35th Ave. on Monday afternoon. The boyfriend, John Melvin White, told police a dog had knocked over the boy, Michael Lara.
The boy was unresponsive and not breathing when paramedics rushed him to North Colorado Medical Center. He was then airlifted to Children’s Hospital in Aurora but died just after midnight Wednesday.
“It’s usually very quiet. I didn’t know anybody lived there,” neighbor Rita Hirsch said.
Police said White, who had recently moved into the home, was supposed to be watching the boy but hurt him instead.
“There are scrapes, bumps and bruises. Nothing that appears that would cause unconsciousness on the child’s part,” Greeley police Sgt. Joe Tymkowych said. “It’s tragic. We are pouring a lot of manpower into finding out what happened and we will do that.”
White has an extensive criminal history dating back about seven years in seven Colorado cities and counties, including Loveland, Lone Tree, Aurora and Denver.
He is in the Weld County Jail on a $150,000 bond.