Hammond Father Rejects Plea Deal in Abused Son's Death

Riley Choate will head to trial Aug. 13 on murder charges

A Hammond, Ind., man charged in the death of his teenage son, found buried last year in a Gary mobile home park, will go to trial after rejecting a plea deal.

Prosecutors offered Riley Choate an 86-year prison sentence in the case of his 13-year-old son, Christian. Choate rejected the deal.

The abused boy was found buried under a storage shed two years after he died. Court records show Christian had been locked in a dog cage and fed only meager meals before he disappeared.

Choate has pleaded not guilty to murder and battery charges.

The murder charge alone carries a sentence of 45-65 years in prison. His attorney tells the Post-Tribune he was "less than satisfied" with the plea deal. Choate's trial is set to begin Aug. 13.

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