Jahmeik Modlin, a four-year-old boy, tragically died in Harlem after his parents allegedly starved him to death.
The incident occurred in an apartment complex, just feet from someone who could have interfered and assisted. However, people overlooked Jahmeik’s distress until it was too late.
Earlier this week, authorities arrested Jahmeik’s mother, Nytavia Ragsdale, and father, Laron Modlin.
Prosecutors claim that the couple purposefully placed a refrigerator full of food against a wall to prevent Jahmeik and his three siblings from reaching it. The violence and mistreatment Jahmeik faced were unthinkable.
After years of neglect, Jahmeik fell unconscious on Sunday night, prompting his mother to contact 911. When emergency services came, it was too late.
Jahmeik’s body, weak due to prolonged malnourishment, abruptly crumbled. The young child had been silently suffering, hidden from the public, and now his life had come to a tragic end.
Members of the neighborhood gathered in front of Jahmeik’s family house on Friday to commemorate his brief life. Candles were lit, and balloons were launched into the sky to represent recollection and grief.
No number of candles or balloons could alleviate the crushing sensation of helplessness that grabbed the hearts of those present.
The community struggled to grasp the brutal truth of the situation, asking how such a catastrophe could have occurred so close to home while remaining unreported.
Manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child are the current charges against both parents.
