In a tragic turn of events in the Bronx, a mother and grandmother are facing serious legal consequences, charged with allegedly causing the death of a 16-year-old autistic boy through starvation.
The young victim, identified as Adonis Jarvis, was declared deceased at a Bronx hospital on March 19.
Police responded to the hospital but soon discovered that Adonis showed signs of severe malnutrition. The Medical Examiner concluded his demise was a result of homicide.
Subsequently, on Thursday, authorities detained his mother, Geneva Jarvis, aged 36, and his grandmother, Denise Jarvis, aged 62, both facing murder charges.
The autopsy report starkly highlighted that Adonis had been starved to death. Disturbingly, sources disclosed that he weighed a mere 60 pounds at his time of passing.
It also appears that the teen’s twin brother was hospitalized for starvation but survived. Both children were described by law enforcement as nonverbal.
Police say they both exhibited signs of chronic neglect, starvation and dehydration upon arrival at the hospital and they had sores on their legs and all over their bodies.
The family lives in a third-floor walkup on East 147th Street.
The building superintendent told Eyewitness News that their apartment was filthy and uninhabitable.
“It’s filled with garbage and clothes all over the place, I told her I wanted to go in the apartment to fix it, she kept saying ‘OK tomorrow’ and she never let us in,” the super said.
Other neighbors said they never saw any red flags, but pointed out that the family kept to themselves.
Both women were arraigned on Thursday afternoon and were held without bail.