The parents of a apparently severely malnourished 8-year-old Bronx boy who died nearly 10 months ago have been arrested for murder, manslaughter and aggravated manslaughter charged in his death, authorities say.
Little Joseph Barney was spotted by his mother unconscious in their apartment on 214th Street on June 1, officials have said. His mother took him, without reacting, to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities said at the time that there were no clear signs of trauma to his body. The hospital’s emergency room was the one that reported the child’s case to the police.
Barney’s death was convicted as a homicide last week – and police said on Tuesday that his parents, 33-year-old Michael Ransom and 29-year-old Sharay Barney, had both been arrested in the case. They face the same serious charges.
Few details were immediately shared about the autopsy results that led to the homicide investigation and the arrests, but police said Barney was found to have “many indications” of child abuse.
He also seemed severely malnourished and weighed only 30 pounds, more than 25 pounds below the average weight of a boy his age.
Further information is expected from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
It was not immediately clear whether Ransom or Barney had lawyers who could comment on their behalf. Barney did not respond to his door when News 4 knocked on Tuesday.