A 19-year-old man was found dead with suspicious injuries inside his Staten Island home Tuesday morning in a case investigators are treating as a suspected homicide, sources told The Post.
Police were called to a New Springville residence on Elmwood Park Drive at 11:10 a.m. For reports of an unconscious person. Officers arrived to find the teen unresponsive in the home’s living room, cops and sources said. He was declared dead at the scene, according to the NYPD.
The victim’s body was cold and had protruding ribs. He also had swelling and bruising around his wrists and ankles — as well as signs consistent with malnourishment, sources familiar with the investigation said. The physical condition of the teen immediately raised red flags for investigators processing the scene.
The teen’s mother, who placed the 911 call, provided first responders with a narrative that sources said was inconsistent with the physical findings at the scene. That discrepancy between the mother’s account and what authorities observed on the teen’s body prompted detectives to dig deeper into the circumstances surrounding the death.
The investigation into his death remains ongoing. There have been no arrests.
The case marks another disturbing death of a young person in New York City under circumstances suggesting possible neglect or abuse. In March, a 16-year-old autistic boy named Adonis Jarvis died from severe malnutrition in the Bronx, weighing just 59 pounds. His mother, Geneva Jarvis, 36, and grandmother, Denise Jarvis, 62, were later charged with murder in connection with his death. That case also involved a surviving twin brother who was found severely malnourished.
In the viral moment that has drawn comparisons to other cases of suspected caregiver abuse, investigators are working to determine how long the Staten Island teen may have been in declining health and whether the conditions found at the scene developed over an extended period. The swelling and bruising around his wrists and ankles particularly suggested possible restraint, sources indicated.
The New Springville neighborhood where the teen was found is a residential area in central Staten Island, typically known for its relative quiet compared to other parts of New York City. The case has left neighbors and community members shaken as details of the young man’s condition have emerged.
Authorities have not released the identity of the 19-year-old victim or his mother, pending notification of additional family members and the ongoing nature of the investigation. The medical examiner’s office will determine the official cause of death.
The NYPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the teen’s death.