Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Parents of dead 4-year-old boy are charged with criminally negligent homicide, NYPD says
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 15, 2024
Modified Oct 15, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Getty Images
By
Brittany Kriegstein
and
Giulia Heyward
Published Oct 15, 2024
Modified Oct 15, 2024
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The parents of a 4-year-old boy who died after being found unresponsive in his Harlem apartment on Sunday have been charged with criminally negligent homicide and child endangerment, police announced.
The boy's mother, Nytavia Ragsdale, 26, was taken into custody shortly after her son was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital. And on Tuesday, police said they arrested 25-year-old Laron Modlin, the boy's father, shortly before 6 p.m. in Harlem.
According to NYPD officials, first responders had found 4-year-old Jahmeik Modlin unconscious at around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday in the family's apartment on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and West 144th Street.
Police said the boy’s father called 911 and it was unclear if Ragsdale was home when officers initially arrived. Officials could not immediately say whether officers had been called to the home in the past, but confirmed that the family had at least two other children.
The Administration for Children’s Services said in a statement that the agency is investigating the incident with the NYPD.
“The safety and well-being of New York City’s children is our top priority,” said spokesperson Stephanie Gendell.
The agency is prohibited by state law from disclosing whether a family has a history with ACS.
Some initial reports indicate that Jahmeik Modlin was malnourished and suffering from hypothermia when he died, though police said the city medical examiner is still investigating the actual cause of death.
Ragsdale was awaiting her arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday, and information for her lawyer was not yet available. Attorney information also was not immediately available for Laron Modlin, the boy's father.
Her uncle, Rod Ragsdale, told Gothamist in an interview he had had “no indication something was wrong" in his niece's household.
“She’d put the kids on FaceTime and I’d talk to them and they’d laugh and grin,” he said, adding that he spoke with Ragsdale a few times a week. He said he last spoke with her on Sunday and that other relatives had also spoken with her in the last couple of days.
Rod Ragsdale said his niece’s mother and father — who was his brother — are both deceased and Nytavia has struggled since losing them. The uncle said the father of Ragsdale's three smallest children did not work, nor did his family help them financially.
“She’s been very depressed. I think it’s safe to say that, she’s been very depressed," Rod Ragsdale said. He described the entire incident as a “tragedy” and “shock.”
This story has been updated with comment from Rod Ragsdale and information about the arrest of Laron Modlin.
Tagged
public safety
manhattan
harlem
child abuse
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
Read more
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
ICE agent fires 7 rounds, shoots man in neck in NYC's Marble Hill, NYPD says
Police say the man arrived at a hospital in stable condition and a 5-year-old boy in his SUV is safe.
By
Giulia Heyward
and
Arya Sundaram
Published Oct 8, 2026 at 5:33 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 8, 2026 at 11:48 p.m. ET
Lazy drivers in Prospect Heights lose chance for 1 less day of alternate-side parking
A pilot found that drivers actually complied with alternate-side less when fewer days were in effect.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Lazy drivers in Prospect Heights lose chance for 1 less day of alternate-side parking
A pilot found that drivers actually complied with alternate-side less when fewer days were in effect.
By
Liam Quigley
Jersey City mayor shakes up staff amid $255M budget gap
By
Michael Sol Warren
Bronx residents will be exempt from new Medicaid work rule, state officials say
By
Caroline Lewis
MTA chair accuses Andy Byford, who's leading Penn Station rebuild, of going 'full MAGA'
By
Stephen Nessen
and
Carol Chen
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .