LINCOLN -- A 38-year-old Lincoln man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the beating death of his girlfriend's son.

Ty Cline is accused of murder in the death of 2-year-old Lucas Tyler Alberts. The child was taken to the hospital in Lincoln by his mother, Jody Alberts, at 6:30 a.m. Aug. 23. The child was transferred to a Peoria hospital, where he died of head injuries the following day.

Cline, who was dating the child's mother, was babysitting the toddler Aug. 22, according to police reports.

Cline was in court Tuesday with Springfield defense lawyers James Elmore and Jeff Page. He remains in jail on $500,000 bond.

Judge Thomas Harris granted a request by State's Attorney Michael McIntosh to dismiss aggravated battery charges against Cline and move forward with the single murder count. The judge put the case on the court's Dec. 14 jury calendar.