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Arrest Made in Newark Child Abuse Case

Aired January 08, 2003 - 13:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Yet another grim development in the report -- in the New York child abuse case -- Newark, rather. The Associated Press says the boyfriend of the children's mother has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting one of those boys. The alleged abuse dates back more than a year to when that boy was six years old.
Jamie Colby in New York has more on this. She is going to update us -- Jamie.

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, another tragic turn of events for these three boys. Essex County prosecutors are telling CNN that they have arrested the boyfriend of the biological mother of the three boys, the Williams boys that we told you about. All week, CNN has been following this case very closely.

On Saturday -- they have arrested him for sexually abusing one of the twin boys. But let me take you back. On Saturday, Newark police were called to a home in Newark to check out a report that two boys were found locked in a basement of a home. They were starved and they were beaten and also burned. They were taken to a New Jersey hospital.

At the hospital, 5-year-old Tyrone and 7-year-old Raheem Williams told police that they had another brother, that Raheem had a twin brother, 7-year-old Faheem, and he had been missing for weeks. Police returned to that basement and found the body of 7-year-old Faheem Williams locked in a drum.

Since that time, police have been searching for Sherry Murphy. Sherry Murphy is a cousin of the biological mother. She was caring for the boys at the time, and has been missing ever since. The FBI is involved as well. They are searching all across the country for Sherry Murphy, for the treatment of these boys, and now, potentially, for homicide charges for 7-year-old Faheem Williams.

The arrest today of a boyfriend who lived with the mother, Melinda Williams, at a time when she had custody of her three boys in Irvington, New Jersey. They have charged him with sexually assaulting one of the twins. They are not saying which one, and he will be arraigned this afternoon in Newark on those charges.

Melinda Williams is in a hospital in New York City, the biological mother. She told police that she was on her way to see the boys on the day they were discovered and was hit by a car. She is in critical condition. Meanwhile, Essex County prosecutors working up their case for this afternoon. We will have more for you as this case develops.

I'm Jamie Colby in New York -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jamie. Thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 8, 2003 - 13:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Yet another grim development in the report -- in the New York child abuse case -- Newark, rather. The Associated Press says the boyfriend of the children's mother has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting one of those boys. The alleged abuse dates back more than a year to when that boy was six years old.
Jamie Colby in New York has more on this. She is going to update us -- Jamie.

JAMIE COLBY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, another tragic turn of events for these three boys. Essex County prosecutors are telling CNN that they have arrested the boyfriend of the biological mother of the three boys, the Williams boys that we told you about. All week, CNN has been following this case very closely.

On Saturday -- they have arrested him for sexually abusing one of the twin boys. But let me take you back. On Saturday, Newark police were called to a home in Newark to check out a report that two boys were found locked in a basement of a home. They were starved and they were beaten and also burned. They were taken to a New Jersey hospital.

At the hospital, 5-year-old Tyrone and 7-year-old Raheem Williams told police that they had another brother, that Raheem had a twin brother, 7-year-old Faheem, and he had been missing for weeks. Police returned to that basement and found the body of 7-year-old Faheem Williams locked in a drum.

Since that time, police have been searching for Sherry Murphy. Sherry Murphy is a cousin of the biological mother. She was caring for the boys at the time, and has been missing ever since. The FBI is involved as well. They are searching all across the country for Sherry Murphy, for the treatment of these boys, and now, potentially, for homicide charges for 7-year-old Faheem Williams.

The arrest today of a boyfriend who lived with the mother, Melinda Williams, at a time when she had custody of her three boys in Irvington, New Jersey. They have charged him with sexually assaulting one of the twins. They are not saying which one, and he will be arraigned this afternoon in Newark on those charges.

Melinda Williams is in a hospital in New York City, the biological mother. She told police that she was on her way to see the boys on the day they were discovered and was hit by a car. She is in critical condition. Meanwhile, Essex County prosecutors working up their case for this afternoon. We will have more for you as this case develops.

I'm Jamie Colby in New York -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jamie. Thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com