4-Year-Old Ankeny Boy Stayed Loyally with Dad He Thought was 'Sleeping'

A 4-year-old Ankeny boy had no idea something was wrong with his dad.

The little boy just thought his dad was sleeping, and that's what he told the landlord, too.

"Dad is sleeping," the child told the landlord who had knocked on his door.

But the boy's father, 40-year-old Ray Calhoun, wasn't sleeping. The landlord, Jason Smith of Ankeny, found Calhoun in his bed. He was dead.

Ankeny police were later called to the Colonial Apartments, 110 N.W. State St. Calhoun's father confirmed to KCCI Channel 8 that the boy had been in the apartment alone with Calhoun since he died, which was likely Sunday or Monday of this week.

Earlier reports said Calhoun died of natural causes. The Polk County Medical Examiner's Office declined to give any updates Thursday related to Calhoun's official cause of death.

Lt. Ben Bowersox of the told Ankeny Patch Thursday morning this case is being treated as a "normal death investigation" and that no further information would be released at this time.

Smith told Ankeny Patch Wednesday that Calhoun's father had been trying to contact his son for a couple of days without success. Calhoun's father called Smith Wednesday at about 3:15 p.m. and asked him to check on Ray.

When Smith knocked on the door of Calhoun's apartment, his young son answered and let him in.

"It's a bad day," Smith said of the death. "He was a great tenant and I think the world of him. He will be missed."

Sgt. David DuVal of the Ankeny Police Department told the Des Moines Register Wednesday Calhoun's son is staying with family members. “The child is fine,” DuVal said.

KCCI later reported the child is staying with his mother.