A 4-year-old boy was tragically found dead inside an apartment in Harlem, leading to the arrest and charging of his father. Meanwhile, his mother is currently awaiting her arraignment.
Nytavia Ragsdale, 26, was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for her arraignment. However, the police have now disclosed that the child’s father, Laron Modlin, 25, has also been arrested. Modlin has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child, the same charges that Ragsdale is facing.
Eyewitness News has provided details regarding the charges against Laron Modlin.
Officers responded to the scene on Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard shortly before 7:45 p.m. on Sunday. They discovered Jahmeik Modlin in an unconscious and unresponsive state.
The child seemed to be malnourished, and at first, the police mistook the marks on his body for burns. However, it was later discovered that the marks were actually caused by eczema.
One resident expressed their shock and concern, saying, “My God. What kind of mess is going on? It’s hard. It hurts my heart.”
On Sunday, there was surveillance video capturing the moment when the NYPD escorted Ragsdale from her Harlem apartment, with her son’s lifeless body in her arms.
The neighbors were completely unaware that the woman had a son or had ever seen the child before.
Community advocate Iesha Sekou expressed her deep sadness over the fact that nobody was aware that the woman in question had a child. She emphasized the significance of the child’s presence and how typically, a 4-year-old child would be actively playing and known to everyone in the community. However, in this particular case, no one was even aware of the child’s existence.
Ragsdale now has three additional children who are currently being cared for by their relatives.
The Administration for Children’s Services had previously looked into Ragsdale regarding allegations of malnourishment, but they were unable to prove the claims.
According to Luis Tavares, the building superintendent where Modlin was discovered, he has never heard any noise coming from the apartment. He also mentioned that there were never any problems with the tenants.
The medical examiner has stated that the cause of death for the 4-year-old boy is inconclusive and further study is needed to determine the exact reason.
