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THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) --- Arius Williams, 20, the father of the 2-year-old Bronx boy found in New York City waters, has been charged with murder, sources said Thursday.
The body of Montrell Williams was found off Ferry Point near the Whitestone Bridge on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
The boy was last seen on May 10 at his grandmother’s house in the Bronx, according to police and the family.
The dad was also charged with manslaughter and is expected to be arraigned on Thursday. He has been held at Rikers Island since Monday.
NYPD divers had been searching the Bronx River all week. The father was allegedly caught on surveillance video throwing a bag, possibly with the child inside, into the river, sources said.
“Seeing the crime committed on the video was heartbreaking but he is off the street, and he will have his day,” NYPD Chief of Department John Chell said.
The boy’s father allegedly told the 17-year-old mom over the weekend that he had thrown their son into the Bronx River. He also told his mother, Sabrina Williams, that the boy was still alive.
“He good. He good. Don’t worry about it,” the dad told his mom over the weekend.
The grandmother said she was heading to the river on Wednesday to grieve her grandchild.
“He’s gone,” she said.
The boy's mom had not seen her son since May 10. Two days later, she went to family court to report that her son was missing, but a warrant was not issued, sources said. She went back a second time pleading for help, but the outcome was unclear because the records are sealed.
The mom then followed Williams after he got on a Manhattan-bound train and pressed him about their child, sources said. Williams, who was previously arrested for beating up the teen, then allegedly pulled a knife on her during the encounter, sources said.
Williams was arrested and brought back to the Bronx for questioning, but has not been charged, according to sources..
The child’s grandmother told PIX11 News she had warned police about Montrell’s disappearance, but was told it was legal because he was the father.
“My son kidnapped my grandchild out my house,” she said she told police in an interview with PIX11 News on Tuesday.
Her son left with Montrell after a fight at a Mother’s Day gathering at the grandmother’s home. She begged him to bring the baby back before going to the cops on May 11.
Sources said detectives believe the boy was not alive when the grandmother went to police to file a missing person’s report because the dad turned up at a family member’s home on May 11 without Montrell.
The NYPD is investigating how the department handled the family's missing report.
This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates.
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