NYPD: Mother of dead 4-year-old boy charged with involuntary manslaughter

The mother of a 4-year-old boy found nearly dead in his Harlem apartment Sunday has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, police said Monday night.

Nytavia Ragsdale, 26, was taken into custody shortly after her son was pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital.

According to NYPD officials, first responders found four-year-old Jahmeik Modlin unconscious and lifeless in the family’s apartment at Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and W 144th Street around 7:45 p.m. Sunday.

Police said the boy’s father called 911 and it was unclear whether Ragsdale was home when officers arrived. Officials could not immediately say whether officers had been called to the home in the past, but confirmed the family had at least two other children.

The Administration for Children’s Services said in a statement that the agency is investigating the incident alongside the NYPD.

“The safety and well-being of New York City’s children is our top priority,” said spokeswoman Stephanie Gendell.

Under state law, the agency is prohibited from disclosing whether a family already has ACS.

Some initial reports suggested that Modlin was malnourished and suffering from hypothermia when he died, although police said the city’s medical examiner was still investigating the actual cause of death.

Ragsdale was awaiting arraignment Tuesday in Manhattan Criminal Court, and information for her attorney was not yet available.

This is a developing story based on information from police and may be updated.