A 1-month-old boy from Staten Island died in July as a result of starvation, according to officials, in a case that has since been ruled as a homicide.
Joseph Heben Jr. was rushed to a Staten Island hospital on July 20, suffering from severe complications of malnourishment, the NYPD reported Wednesday. Police said the hospital staff called them around 7 a.m. after the child was brought in by an unknown person.
On Tuesday, the Medical Examiner of New York City ruled the death of Joseph a homicide.
The NYPD says it is still unclear whether the boy’s parents are suspects and if there was a history of trouble or neglect in the Main Street home with the Administration of Child Services. Officials say the parents have pleaded not guilty and their cases are still being investigated.
New York’s Administration for Children’s Services said it was barred by state law from saying whether Joseph’s family had a history with the agency. In a statement, spokeswoman Stephanie Gendell said that “as soon as this family came to our attention this summer,” the agency opened an investigation with the police.
The case of Joseph’s death arises less than a month after a 4-year-old boy, Jahmeik Modlin, died after being found severely malnourished in a Harlem apartment. His three siblings were also hospitalized.
Jahmeik’s family had reportedly been investigated by the city’s child welfare agency even before he was born, and his parents, Laron Modlin, 25, and Nytavia Ragsdale, 26, were charged with second-degree manslaughter. On Wednesday, they were indicted on murder charges.
There have currently been no arrests in Joseph’s case and the overall investigation into the homicide is still ongoing, police reported.
Anyone with any information regarding the incident may Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
