NEW YORK – A Queens father has been arrested in the death of a 3-year-old boy who died inside a homeless shelter over the weekend, according to New York authorities.
Police were called to the scene on Queens Boulevard Sunday night after the boy, identified as Shaquan Butler, was suffocating. Officers discovered the boy had bruises all over his body and took him to hospital, where doctors say he died of a heart attack and a collapsed lung.
The mother of the young Shaquan would have told officers that her son was choking on a piece of food and had crashed into the wall.
His father, also named Shaquan Butler, was arrested two days later, authorities said Wednesday. The 26-year-old was charged with manslaughter and manslaughter, police said.
The tragedy left other shelter residents shocked: “It’s just awful. It’s sad. It’s a horrible situation,” shelter resident Michelle Washington told sister station NBC 4 York.
In a statement, the Department of Human Services said: “This is a heartbreaking tragedy. We express our deepest condolences to all those affected and stand ready to provide whatever support we can at this incredibly difficult time.”
It is unclear whether the boy’s mother, 21, will face charges.
