Aunt of 4-year-old boy whose parents are accused of starving him to death to sue city for $40M
The maternal aunt of a 4-year-old boy who prosecutors say was starved to death by his parents in their New York City apartment has filed a $40 million notice of claim alleging the city’s child welfare agency failed to protect his well-being and safety.
The maternal aunt of a 4-year-old boy who prosecutors say was starved to death by his parents in their New York City apartment has filed a $40 million notice of claim alleging the city’s child welfare agency failed to protect his well-being and safety.
The notice of claim was filed Thursday on behalf of Nyisha Ragsdale, the aunt of Jahmeik Modlin, who died on Oct. 14 in the Harlem neighborhood. At the time of his death, Jahmeik weighed 19 pounds, which is in the normal range for a 1-year-old. The normal weight range for a 4-year-old boy is 30 to 44 pounds.
His parents, Nytavia Ragsdale and Laron Modlin, have been charged with second-degree manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. Both are being detained at the jail on Rikers Island.
Nyisha Ragsdale alleges in her notice of claim, which is the first step in filing a lawsuit against the city, that the city’s child welfare agency, the Administration for Children’s Services, had been previously notified of malnourishment and neglect involving Jahmeik’s family, which includes his parents and three siblings.
A poster in memory of Jahmeik Modlin in New York City.NBC New YorkDespite these reports and direct requests for assistance by the boy’s mother, the city and its child welfare agency “failed to take appropriate actions to investigate thoroughly and intervene,” the claim states.
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