Parents charged with murder of 22-month-old in Gary

GARY, Ind. (WLS) -- Bernard Dillon and Selena Strong have been charged with the murder of their 22-month-old son Brandon in Gary, police said.

Police were called to the 300-block of W. 6th Avenue Tuesday, where police said Dillon allegedly told police that "the baby is upstairs dead in the bedroom."

An autopsy revealed that the baby died as a result of blunt force trauma, though investigators said the child had a culmination of traumas that had been inflicted within the last 30 days. Dillon told police that Brandon had not been feeling well prior to his death, only consuming water and milk for several days, and that his breathing sounded odd.

Strong told investigators that she used a nylon belt to "whoop" Brandon at least four to five times a day over the past couple months because he "gets into things," and she said she found him more annoying than his twin sister, according to the affidavit.

Dillon also admitted to striking Brandon with a belt as a result of ongoing potty training difficulties, according to the affidavit. He said that Strong refused to let him use her phone to call police after Brandon's death, as she said she would go to jail if authorities were called.

Strong and Dillon were arrested Tuesday and are being held without bail, and Brandon's twin sister and younger sibling have been taken into custody by the Department of Family and Child Services.