Mom, Boyfriend Charged In Death Of Missing Edison Toddler: Prosecutor

EDISON, NJ — A man from Perth Amboy has been charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old daughter. The child had been missing since 2019, authorities said Tuesday.

Additionally, the girl’s mother Monique Durham, 27, of Edison, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan, and Perth Amboy Police Chief Lawrence Cattano said Tuesday.

Matthew Chiles, 29, of Perth Amboy has been charged with two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, one count of second-degree desecration of human remains and one count of first-degree murder. Durham has been charged with two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of third-degree theft.

On July 26, the Edison Police Department was contacted by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P), asking them to conduct a welfare check on Durham’s twin 5-year-old daughters.

After speaking with the mother, Edison Police referred the matter to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and a joint investigation began.

One of the 5-year-old girls was missing and no family or friends had seen the child since 2019, according to the investigation.

Authorities determined that Durham’s boyfriend, Chiles, engaged in conduct resulting in the missing child’s death in 2019, and illegally disposed of the child’s remains.

Durham and Chiles are currently being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending a detention hearing.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Perth Amboy Police Department at (732) 442-4400, Edison Police Department at (732) 248-7400 or the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3927.

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