GUILTY IN - Christian Choate, 13, starved, beaten to death, Gary, April 2009

Mary please pass my condolences on to your BIL. It has to be a relief to the family to finally know where this boy is. Such a sad story, im sure the family was wishing he was a runaway. Is the man arrested the boys father?
 
Oh my! Please not another child! :(

Mary I am so sorry to hear this. RIP Christian may you finally be set free!
 
RIP Christian. Condolences to your family Mary.
 
I was just thinking maybe that first story inspired this "anonomous" person to call this in?
 
According to my sister, he was never reported as a runaway, and yes- his father is under arrest.
I do not wish to violate TOS - and truthfully, I'm a little too upset to explore them right now. There's a lot to this story.
 
Hang in there Mary - so sorry for the family's loss. May Christian RIP and the perp be punished.
 
So tragic, my sincere condolences. Words just dont express the thoughts. At the very least there is some closure I suppose. Now the question comes up as to WHY?
 
I'm so sorry that this boy was killed but I'm glad his body was found so that he can get a proper burial and someone can pay for the crime commited.
 
another article, plus pics

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=8113292

"Investigators have charged Riley Choate, 39, with moving a body from a death scene, altering a body and failure to report a body.

"He thus far confessed to removing the body from one trailer, taking it across the street and burying the body," said Lake County Sheriff John Buncich. "Wrapped him in a blanket in plastic and buried him in a shallow grave underneath the shed and then put concrete on top of the body. He also indicated at the time that he put a Bible on the boy's chest."

the boy's mother called 911 Sunday after she received the information from someone in Kentucky. The sheriff says the mother lost custody of the boy and his sister and had not seen them for six years.

Riley Choate previously lived in Kentucky but had returned to the area. His partner is also in custody on another matter."

BBM do they mean partner in crime or partner as in boyfriend??????
 
Case is confusing. So Choate was from Ind., moved to Ky and that is where Christian died? Then at some point Choate moved back to Ind. Choate reportedly said that he put a bible on the boys chest. But I notice that LE is not confirming or denying that. Sister's comment was interesting. Esp. since Choate had custody of her too. So was she told that Christian was a runaway? And did she believe that? Is she the sibling that is now living in Ky? And I didn't want to post her name until I knew, is she still a minor?

MaryCarney so sorry that this has happened. Even a distant connection can be disturbing. Your BIL did he know that Christian was missing and never reported missing?
 
Authorities told of possible abuse
http://posttrib.suntimes.com/5207859-537/authorities-told-of-possible-abuse.html

According to this article, the shed was across the road from where the family had lived, and had belonged to "Granny" a woman who lived with the Choate's (and their 10 kids) in the 2 bedroom trailer for a while before she died. Neighbors say they did report abuse and neighbors also say they searched the woods when they were told Christian had run away.

DCS opens investigation after police unearth remains
http://www.nwitimes.com/article_667e3194-d81d-5918-a24a-3519190494d9.html



According to the second article the stepmother is Kim Choate and she is in jail. Doesn't say when or what charges, just that it was a warrant out of Ky.
 
Were the people in the trailer where the shed is friends of Christian's father? Was the trailer where the shed was located vacant at the time? I find it puzzling that he would bury his son at the trailer across the way from his, somehow moving the shed, burying the body and then pouring concrete? All at a residence that is not yours? Gotta be more to that then I know right now in order for that move to make sense.

Mary, ty for bringing this one to our awareness. My deepest sympathy to your BIL's family. RIP Christian.

ETA I am confusing myself with all the different accounts and articles. So the trailer where the shed was located was granny's who had been moved in with the choates in their trailer across the way. Now I get it.

So sorry young man, sounds like you had a rough go of it even before your untimely end.
 
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/...dy-unearthed-in-gary-20110504,0,5955702.story

The girl told police she thought her younger brother was just sick that early spring day back in 2009.

She noticed he wasn't breathing, ran to her stepmother for help and was told she should try to revive him, authorities said.

The girl, who was 15 at the time, tried to perform CPR but soon realized her 13-year-old brother Christian Choate was dead.

What happened next Lake County Sheriff John Buncich struggled to explain.

<modsnip>
 
Sheriff: &#8220;It was a very gruesome scene&#8221;
The boy&#8217;s mother, Aimee Eriks Estrada, who lives in Calumet Township, called 911 Sunday night and told Lake County police her daughter, Christine, recently told her about the death of her brother in early April, 2009.

http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/5207709-418/sheriff-it-was-a-very-gruesome-scene.html

He was found covered with lime, buried under about 2 feet of dirt, with a Bible on his chest and topped with concrete. Investigators allege that other relatives are involved in this. Choate has not admitted to harming Christian.

The two children were left with Choate when the mother fled claiming he abused her.

One of the links (WestSideFox64 link) says that Choate claims his daughter helped to bury Christian, not his wife.

*shudder.... what the daughter was told about the burial. (in WestSideFox64's link)
 
Um, if the daughter helped with the burial http://posttrib.suntimes.com/news/5207709-418/sheriff-it-was-a-very-gruesome-scene.html then why did it take Choate telling LE where he was in order for them to look beneath the concrete beneath the shed? What a .

Not that it would matter even if she had IMO. you are 15, your brother, whom may have been abused over the years right in front of you is dead or dying, you tell stepmom and and the response is "well, go try and revive him" ????http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/...dy-unearthed-in-gary-20110504,0,5955702.story Then when it is determined he is probably dead, if you are told what to do - my guess is - you do it.
 
I'm with you TlCox. Even if she had been involved in moving the body I couldn't have blamed her. And I can see that being something very difficult to admit to also, even when she finally starting to talk. But I believe that Choate is trying to protect his wife (mother of other children?) And is mad at her for telling.
 
So very sad that no one outside the trailer cared enough for this child to notice he was just "poof" gone one day. If my neighbor told me his kid "ran away" and he hadn't bothered to look for him because they were busy making funeral arrangements for his wife's granny, and I never saw a missing child report or flyers inquiring about him - you can bet your sweet hindend I would be raising a stink and calling authorities myself.

Poor kid. :shakehead: If the reports of his treatment by the adults in the house are true at least now he is not disparaged, raged at, treated like a second class citizen, beaten or worse. Sad that in death this young man may well be experiencing the first peace he can recall.
 

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