The Bloomington man charged with killing his girlfriend’s 2-month-old child will be temporarily released from jail next week so he can find housing as part of his plea agreement.
Monroe Circuit Judge Valeri Haughton approved a motion for temporary release Friday for Dakota King, who has been held in the Monroe County Jail for roughly two years.
King was arrested in 2019 after his girlfriend’s baby stopped breathing and was taken to the hospital. According to the Bloomington Police Department, King admitted to smothering the baby in its bedding after the child spit up on him.
He was charged with murder, two counts of neglect of a dependent, and battery.
In April, King pleaded guilty to one of the neglect charges – neglect of a dependent resulting in serious injury, a level 3 felony – as part of a plea agreement. That agreement would allow King to serve the balance of his sentence on home detention, but he currently does not have a place of residence in Monroe County. He has not yet been sentenced.
King will be released from jail from Monday through Friday so he can find somewhere to live.
He’ll be released at 9 a.m. Monday and will have to check in with court officials by 2 p.m. each day.
He is expected to turn himself back in Friday, Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.m.
If he’s unable to secure a residence by then, he could be released for a short period of time the following week.
