THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — A 20-year-old Bronx father has been charged with murder in the heartbreaking death of his 2-year-old son, Montrell Williams, whose body was recovered Wednesday from waters near the Whitestone Bridge in New York City, authorities confirmed.
The father, Arius Williams, faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter and is expected to be arraigned Thursday. He had already been in custody at Rikers Island since Monday, in connection with a separate incident involving the boy’s mother.
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- 1 Body Found Near Ferry Point Park
- 2 Last Seen on May 10
- 3 Disturbing Confessions
- 4 Grandmother’s Plea Ignored
- 5 NYPD Internal Review Underway
Body Found Near Ferry Point Park
Montrell’s body was found by NYPD divers off Ferry Point following a days-long search in the Bronx River. Police sources say surveillance footage showed Arius Williams throwing a bag — possibly containing the child — into the river.
“Seeing the crime committed on the video was heartbreaking, but he is off the street, and he will have his day,” said NYPD Chief of Department John Chell during a press briefing.
Last Seen on May 10
Montrell was last seen on May 10 at his grandmother’s home in the Bronx. The child’s mother, a 17-year-old girl, reported not seeing her son after that day. Two days later, she went to family court to report him missing, but no warrant was issued, according to sources familiar with the case.
The mother later followed Williams onto a Manhattan-bound train and demanded answers about their child. During that confrontation, Williams allegedly pulled a knife on her, leading to his arrest and return to the Bronx for questioning.
Williams has a history of domestic violence, including a prior arrest for allegedly beating the child’s mother.
Disturbing Confessions
Over the weekend, Williams reportedly made disturbing statements to both the child’s mother and his own mother, Sabrina Williams.
To Montrell’s mother, he allegedly admitted to throwing their son into the river. But to his own mother, Williams downplayed the situation.
“He good. He good. Don’t worry about it,” he told his mother.
Tragically, the reality proved otherwise. Montrell’s grandmother was preparing to visit the river to grieve when news broke of the body’s discovery.
“He’s gone,” she said simply.
Grandmother’s Plea Ignored
Montrell’s grandmother has criticized the NYPD’s response to her early warnings. She told PIX11 News she begged police to intervene when her son left with the baby following a fight during a Mother’s Day gathering at her home.
“My son kidnapped my grandchild out my house,” she said she told officers.
However, police reportedly said they could not act because Arius Williams was the child’s father, and thus had legal custody. Investigators now believe Montrell was likely already deceased by the time the grandmother attempted to file a missing persons report on May 11.
NYPD Internal Review Underway
The NYPD has launched an internal investigation into how the initial missing persons report was handled. Critics say the system failed the young boy and his family at multiple points.
This case adds to ongoing conversations around the limitations of family court, the handling of custody-related abductions, and the importance of taking domestic violence histories into account in potential child endangerment scenarios.
