Father Charged in Connection with Son's Death in Gary

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 6, 2011 1:47PM

Christian Choate (left) and Riley Choate

Yesterday we listed the discovery of the body of Christian Choate under a concrete slab in Gary, IN in the midday news links. By the time the 5 p.m. news cycle roleld around, Choate's father, 39-year-old Riley Choate of Hammond, IN, was charged with removal of a body from a death scene, failure to notify authorities of the discovery of a dead body and failure to report a dead body.

Riley Choate was arrested on a larceny warrant at his girlfriend's Kentucky home earlier and led police yesterday to the site of his son's body under a shed across the street from the family's former home. Lake County (IN) Sheriff John Buncich called the discovery of Christian Choate's body "a very gruesome scene." Christian Choate's body was discovered wrapped in a blanket and garbage bags, with a Bible placed on his chest. Autopsy results showed he died of “sustained blunt force trauma to his body with internal bleeding and a skull fracture.”

Christian Choate had been missing for two years when his sister Christine recently told the boy's mother about his death and the burial by Riley Choate and his ex-wife, Kimberly. Christian Choate's mother then called 911. Riley Choate admitted to burying his sone but has allegedly not claimed responsibility for his death. Kimberly Choate is being held for questioning in the incident and a separate larceny warrant in Kentucky. Officials are also investigating other relatives of the Choates, believing that the cover-up of Christian's death runs deeper than just immediate family.