1-month-old Staten Island boy starved to death: sources

TOTTENVILLE, Staten Island (PIX11) — A 1-month-old Staten Island boy who died in July starved to death, sources said Wednesday.

The medical examiner ruled Joseph Heben Jr.'s death a homicide this week, months after he was rushed to a Staten Island hospital unconscious on July 20, according to the NYPD. The boy suffered from severe complications of malnourishment, sources said.

Hospital staff called the police after the child was brought in by an unknown person, police said.

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It was unclear if the boy's parents were suspects and if there was a history of trouble in the Main Street home with the Administration of Child Services, authorities said.

There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.

Last month, a 4-year-old Harlem boy starved to death , officials said. The child's parents, Laron Modlin, 25, and Nytavia Ragsdale, 26 were arrested and charged with criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child, police said.

The parents have pleaded not guilty and their cases are ongoing.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org , downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here.