The father of a missing Bronx 2-year-old was officially charged with the child’s murder on Thursday, one day after the body of an infant matching the boy’s description was discovered.
According to the NYPD, 20-year-old Arius Williams was slapped with two counts of murder and two counts of manslaughter. The charge came as Williams was already behind bars on Rikers Island after being found in contempt of court for failing to disclose where his son was.
The body of a 2-year-old boy matching the description of little Montrell Williams was pulled by the NYPD Harbor Unit from the waters near the Whitestone Bridge on Wednesday afternoon; the remains had decomposed.
Montrell has been missing since May 9 and was last seen in the care of Williams, who police say had acted suspiciously when questioned. Detectives working the case discovered video that appeared to show Williams toss a black bag into the Bronx River near the Bruckner Expressway on May 10.
The mother of the child said she has no words for the loss, according to a report from the New York Daily News.
“We are grieving,” the mother of the child said outside her Bronx home Wednesday evening. “My family is grieving. I have no words.”
The family mourned at an emotional vigil on Wednesday night that saw the child’s aunt fall down on her knees before flickering candles and break down in tears.
The remains still have to be officially identified.
