HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WOWO) – A man has been found guilty in connection to the death of his girlfriend’s son. Reports say police were called to a Huntington home about two years ago after an 8-year-old boy’s mother came home to find the boy dead in his room with a zip tie around his neck. The child’s mother, Ashlee Cochrane, was eventually also charged in connection to his death and pleaded guilty to neglect earlier this year, statng that her son had attempted suicide previously but that he was doing better. Her boyfriend, Matthew Dirig was reportedly playing video games when Cochrane came home. When she went to check on the boy, he was found dead.  The boy’s bedroom door was found locked from the outside, and there was evidence that he had attempted to pick the lock on the door. 21 Alive News says a leather jacket belonging to Dirig was also found in the bedroom with fresh scratch marks and purple medical gloves in the pocket. A bag of zip ties was found in the boys room, too.  Dirig told police that the boy had been picked up from Boys & Girls Club because he was having a bad day and that he locked him in his bedroom because it was his “safe space.” The doctor who completed the autopsy stated that research about suicide showed it would be hard for a small child to apply enough tension using the zip ties, also saying it appears a pulling force was applied from the back of the boy’s neck.  Dirig’s sentencing is scheduled for next month. The post Huntington man found guilty of neglect after girlfriend’s son found dead appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM.