The parents of Indian toddler Gurshan Singh say they are relieved that one of their housemates has been charged over the boy's death.

Twenty-three-year-old Indian taxi driver Gursewak Dhillon has been charged with manslaughter due to criminal negligence.

Police told an out-of-sessions court hearing last night that Dhillon admitted putting the unconscious three-year-old into the boot of his car and driving around with him for three hours before dumping him without checking whether he was alive.

The toddler's body was later found by a council worker.

The court did not hear evidence of how the boy came to be unconscious and the cause of his death has yet to be determined.

The hearing was told Dhillon is not related to the boy but was living in the same house as the boy and his parents.

Family spokesman Tim Singh Laurence says it has been a highly emotional few days for the boy's parents, and they are relieved that a charge has been laid.

"[They] were not just coping with the loss of a three-year-old, but also coping with not knowing what would happen. So that is some small relief, thanks to the Victoria Police," he said.

"They were also touched by people who sent messages of support from all over the state, from all communities and from all faiths."

He says the boy's parents desperately want to bring his body home.

"Focused clearly on recovering the body of their child and they're focused on taking the child back to where their family and community is and following the Sikh customs there to lay their child to rest," he said.

Victoria Police Senior Sergeant Carla Dennis said Dhillon shared a house with the dead boy's parents.

"He was one of three couples living at that David Street Lalor address. There were three couples plus two other gentlemen and little Gurshan living there as well," she said.

She said Dhillon did apply for bail, but had nowhere to stay.

"The bail justice remanded him and he'll be appearing before the Melbourne Magistrates Court tomorrow."