Huntington man found guilty of neglect in girlfriend’s son’s 2022 death

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WPTA) - Jurors found a Huntington man guilty of neglect in connection to the death of his girlfriend’s 8-year-old son.

BACKGROUND: Huntington man charged with neglect in death of girlfriend’s son

The verdict for Matthew Dirig comes on the second anniversary of the boy’s death.

Two years ago, police were called to the 1300 block of Dover Street in Huntington, court records show. Theodore “Theo” Cochrane’s mother came home to find the boy dead in his room with a zip tie around his neck.

RELATED: Mother now facing neglect charges along with boyfriend in Huntington child’s 2022 death

Ashlee Cochrane, who was eventually also charged in connection to her son’s death, pleaded guilty to neglect earlier this year and was sentenced to two and half years in prison. She told police her son had previously attempted suicide but was doing better after he had started a new medication and was in therapy.

Ashlee Cochrane told police Dirig was playing video games when she came home and told her her son was doing well and was in his room, court records show. When she went to check on him, the boy was dead.

The mother told police she attempted CPR before calling 911.

As police investigated, they found a bag of zip ties in the boy’s room, evidence that he attempted to pick the lock on his door – which was locked from the outside – and a leather jacket that belonged to Dirig with fresh scratch marks and purple medical gloves in the pocket.

During an interview with police, Dirig said he picked Theo up from Boys & Girls Club because he was “having a bad day,” adding that he may have been bullied, court records show. He said he put Theo in his room and locked the door because it was the boy’s “safe space.”

The man told police Theo had a tantrum when he was picked up and was being aggressive, which is why Dirig locked him in the room, court documents say. Detectives noted Dirig seemed increasingly nervous during the interview.

The doctor who performed the autopsy noted that research concerning suicide shows it would be difficult for a small child to apply adequate tension, saying it appears a pulling force was applied from the back of his neck.

Dirig is scheduled to be sentenced in December.

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