Family of Bronx Toddler Found in River Files $60M Lawsuit Against NYPD

The mother and grandmother of two-year-old Montrell Williams, whose body was pulled from the Bronx River by New York Police Department officers on June 11, have filed a $60 million lawsuit against the city, accusing police of failing to act quickly after the child went missing on Mother’s Day.

Speaking at a press conference outside NYPD’s 40th Precinct on August 8, the day after the lawsuit was filed, Montrell’s mother, 17-year-old Ciera Carroll, alleged that officers dismissed her warnings about the boy’s father, 20-year-old Arius Williams, who is now charged with his murder.

Carroll said she told police that Williams had an active warrant for his arrest, only to be met with the response: “So what?” Her mother, 35-year-old Octavia Roane, said officers later hung up on Carroll after making the remark.

Accusations of Negligence

According to the family’s attorney, Shiraz Khan, police ignored multiple warnings from both sides of Montrell’s family in the weeks leading up to his death. The lawsuit claims NYPD officers misclassified the situation as a custody dispute, failed to open a missing child investigation, did not issue an Amber Alert, and delayed launching a search.

“They put them on notice that this child is in danger,” Khan said. “While this child’s life was hanging in the balance, they were pushed to the side.”

Family spokesperson Rev. Kevin McCall told reporters that police were aware of domestic violence in the home, yet custody arrangements still allowed Williams access to the child. “Two-year-old Montrell Williams should be here today if it wasn’t for the NYPD being neglectful in finding him,” McCall said.

Criminal Case Against the Father

Williams, who has pleaded not guilty, is being held without bail on charges of murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors allege he killed Montrell on May 10, the day before the disappearance was reported to police.

The child’s other grandparents said they filed multiple missing persons reports before Montrell was officially declared missing. They allege officers referred them to family court rather than initiating a search.

NYPD Response

The NYPD maintains that it did not receive an initial complaint until May 11. In a statement issued August 8, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department is reviewing how the case was handled.

“The murder of Montrell Williams is an absolute tragedy, and the NYPD extends our deepest condolences to his family,” the statement read. “Our detectives are always committed to conducting complete and thorough investigations, and the arrest of Arius Williams is the first step in the pursuit of justice.”

The lawsuit accuses the department of wrongful death, negligence, emotional distress, and conscious pain and suffering experienced by the child before his death, which the family alleges was at the hands of his father.