CROWN POINT | Though a Gary man led police to believe his infant son accidentally drowned Thursday, the child was the victim of a homicide, the Lake County coroner ruled Friday.

The 5-month-old boy's mother was clutching his body Thursday afternoon when Gary emergency personnel arrived at their home in the 4300 block of 23rd Avenue, Lake County Coroner David Pastrick said Friday.

Ryne White Jr. was pronounced dead at 1:40 p.m. Thursday at the home, Pastrick said.

Initially, officials were led to believe the baby drowned in the kitchen sink, where the baby's father was giving him a bath while the mother was out of the home, the coroner said.

The man told police he left the baby in the sink to check on another child who was crying upstairs.

Pastrick said an autopsy performed Friday morning revealed the baby actually died of multiple skull fractures from blunt force trauma.

The baby also had swelling and bruising around his lip area, Pastrick added. Ryne's death has been ruled a homicide.

When the baby's mother arrived home, Ryne already was dead, Pastrick said.

Pastrick said the coroner's office and Gary police still are investigating the baby's death.