Times Staff Report

Police arrested a 19-year-old Portage man in connection with the beating death of an 11-month-old boy, Porter County Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Polarek said Thursday.

Nicholas Cherry, 6728 Dale Ave., was arrested Wednesday and is being held on charges of neglect of a dependent and battery.

Cherry was watching the infant, the son of his girlfriend, Brittany McCready, 19, Polarek said. Cherry was the only one with the baby when he suffered the injuries Wednesday, the prosecutor said.

An initial hearing is scheduled for today. Prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine if additional charges will be filed, Polarek said Thursday night.

The boy died Thursday at the University of Chicago Hospitals. A spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office said a postmortem exam is scheduled for today.

Portage police would not release any information on the case Thursday.

Polarek, who declined to release the child's name, said Cherry is not the baby's father.