Family Plans Legal Action Against NYPD After 2-Year-Old's Death

Recovery of Toddler and Father's Arrest

• 💔 The grandmother of 2-year-old Montrell Williams expressed devastation after authorities recovered what is believed to be the boy's body from the East River.
• 🚨 Montrell's mother called 911 on Mother's Day when his father, 20-year-old Aras Williams, failed to appear for a scheduled custody exchange.
• ⚖️ Dispatchers reportedly deemed it a custody issue, but the next day, a judge issued a wellness check and an arrest warrant for the father.

Allegations of NYPD Inaction

• ⏳ Civil rights activists claim it took weeks for the NYPD to arrest Aras Williams, with the arrest only occurring after the mother and grandmother located him at a Hunts Point shelter.
• 🔪 The mother and grandmother allege they followed Williams from the Bronx to Manhattan, where he reportedly pulled a knife on the mother before she flagged down an officer.
• 🗣️ The family asserts that the police department was aware of a history of domestic violence and previous reports but did not act until Williams was produced in court.

Investigation and Charges

• 🗓️ Police sources indicate Montrell was murdered on May 10, but the initial complaint was not filed with the NYPD until May 11.
• 📹 Prosecutors stated there is footage showing Williams holding his child for over an hour before allegedly throwing him over the Whitestone Bridge.
• ⚖️ Aras Williams has been charged with murder and manslaughter and is being held without bail.

Family's Blame and ACS Investigation

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The suspect's family has requested a mental health evaluation for Aras Williams.
• 🏛️ The grandmother also blamed the Administration for Children Services (ACS), stating they were aware of the father's domestic violence history but still granted him partial custody.
• 🔍 An ACS spokesperson confirmed the agency is investigating but cannot share personal information.