HUNTINGTON, IN – Authorities in northeastern Indiana have charged a 24-year-old man with multiple felonies following the death of his infant son, who investigators say suffered a series of critical injuries consistent with prolonged abuse.

Oliver Clayton Lee Young was arrested last week and faces charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery to a person under 14, and domestic battery causing serious bodily injury. Police began investigating Young after a call from a family case manager alerted them to a suspicious case involving a baby at Parkview Huntington Hospital.

The case began unfolding in mid-October when the infant was brought to a pediatrician for what was meant to be a routine checkup. The pediatrician, alarmed by a bruise on the child’s back, immediately told Young and the baby’s mother to seek emergency care. According to medical reports, the mother initially suggested the bruise may have resulted from the newborn rolling onto a pacifier, but doctors quickly dismissed that explanation, pointing out that babies of that age are not typically mobile enough to cause such an injury.

Further examination raised additional red flags, including a blood spot in the infant’s eye and indications of possible internal injuries. Hospital staff soon discovered a suspected brain bleed, prompting the infant’s urgent transfer to Riley Children’s Hospital, where his condition was deemed critical.

While one of the marks on the baby’s back faded over time and was identified as a “Mongolian mark”—a benign birthmark that usually disappears during early childhood—doctors found injuries that could not be explained away so easily.

The situation escalated in late October, when the infant’s mother called emergency services on October 29 after finding her son unresponsive. Paramedics arrived to find the baby suffering from severe head trauma and internal bleeding and exhibiting almost no brain activity. He was again transported to Riley Children’s Hospital by air.

Medical specialists discovered additional evidence of prior harm, including a fractured femur that showed signs of healing and several broken ribs. Doctors concluded these injuries resulted from non-accidental trauma, with the severity suggesting forceful shaking or squeezing.

Following the child’s death, the Marion County Coroner’s Office determined the cause was craniocerebral trauma and ruled the manner as homicide after conducting an autopsy.

A witness present in the home the morning the infant was found unresponsive told police she overheard Young angrily yelling at the baby and heard muffled cries coming from the bathroom where Young had taken the child. Police later examined Young’s phone and found internet searches on the morning of October 29 regarding advice for people anticipating long prison sentences. Two days after the child’s death, Young searched for tips on how to “cheat a polygraph test.”

Investigators noted that Young’s earlier internet activity on his device had been manually erased, potentially removing crucial search history.

Young remains in custody at the Huntington County Jail on a $150,000 bond, according to jail records. A pretrial conference in his case is scheduled for April 6.