A man has been found guilty on Friday of neglect that resulted in the death of an 8-year-old in 2022 in Huntington County, Indiana. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in prison.
Matthew Dirig has been found guilty of neglecting a dependent resulting in death, a Level 1 felony, after a week-long trial in Huntington Circuit Court.
According to court documents in the case, police initiated an investigation on November 22, 2022, after receiving a report from the child’s mother that she had discovered him with a zip tie around his neck.
The boy was declared deceased by medical professionals at the scene.
During police questioning, Dirig, who was 32 at the time, explained that the boy was being uncooperative, which led him to confine the child in a bedroom and lock the door from the outside. After reviewing security footage, authorities determined that the child had been locked inside for approximately two hours, as stated in court documents.
According to court documents, the mother stated that she wasn’t at home during that incident and wasn’t certain if Dirig had checked on the boy afterwards. Dirig even confessed that he had become distracted and preoccupied with playing video games, neglecting to check on the boy or respond to a text from the mother inquiring about her son’s well-being.
Dirig is facing the possibility of spending anywhere from 20 to 40 years in prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 17.