NH Father Charged In Young Boy's Death In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NH — The father of a young boy who prosecutors say was abused and then killed in January has been charged in the boy's murder, the New Hampshire attorney general's office said in a news release Monday.

Murtadah Mohammad has been arrested on one count of second-degree murder in the death of the boy, identified by officials only as J.R., according to Attorney General John M. Formella and Manchester Police Chief Allen D. Aldenber.

According to officials, on or around January 17, Mohammad "caused the death of J.R., a person under 13 years of age, recklessly under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of his life, by subjecting him to abusive violence and not obtaining timely medical assistance for his injuries."

Mohammad is currently in jail on charges relating to J.R.'s alleged abuse in a case being prosecuted by the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office, officials said. Officials added that they believe those charges will be dropped as the case is transferred to the attorney general's office, which will pursue the murder charges among others.

According to a January report published by NBC10 Boston, the boy's mother Rainah Riley said that J.R. was initially hospitalized in a coma before dying from his injuries, which included skull and rib fractures, bleeding in the brain, lung injuries, and severe burns from hot water.

Riley told the outlet that Mohammad had recently gotten joint custody of J.R. when the boy died. She added that she had noticed warning signs of abuse on J.R.'s body and had reported them to the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families, but nothing was done.

"I called for wellness checks on him when he was with him, for the bruising, and nobody did anything," Riley told NBC10 Boston. "The system has failed not only my child, but so many children. And something needs to be done, because this isn't OK. It's not. Like, when is enough enough?"

Patch reached out to the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families for comment.