‘May never be found': Dad of boy, 2, seen throwing bag into Bronx River, sources say

Yahoo

a day ago

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — The father of the 2-year-old boy feared dead was caught on surveillance video throwing a bag into the Bronx River, possibly with the child inside, according to law enforcement sources.
Detectives recovered the footage while investigating the disappearance of Montrell Williams, who was last seen on May 10 at his grandmother's house in Hunts Point. Investigators believe the boy is dead but don't know how he died yet, sources said.
NYPD dive teams are expected to continue searching the Bronx River again on Wednesday, but given the currents, there's a chance 'he may never be found,' sources said.
The 17-year-old 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 dad, Arius Williams, 20, told the boy's teen mom over the weekend that he allegedly threw the boy into the Bronx River, sources said.
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. He was then held at Rikers Island for custodial interference.
The child's grandmother, Sabrina Williams, 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 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.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday the department is investigating how the family's missing report was handled.
'The NYPD takes any case of a missing person very seriously,' Tisch said on Good Day New York.
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).
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here.
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