Story by Ethan
On June 26th, 2025, the arrest of Arius Williams, age 20, was announced by Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark. Arius Williams was charged with two counts of second-degree Murder, two counts of first-degree Manslaughter, and second-degree Menacing. The arrest and charges against Arius Williams were a result of an investigation handled by Chief Christine Scaccia of the Homicide Bureau, Video Technician Matthew Koffler of the Video Unit, Director Joao D’ Alessandro of the Video Unit, Crime Victim Advocate Emelis Santana of the Crime Victims Assistance Bureau, Senior Crime Victim Advocate Laura Ramirez of the Crime Victims Assistance Bureau, NYPD Detectives Frankie Soler of Bronx Homicide, Michael Manni of the 40th Precinct Squad, and NYPD Officers Thomas Smith, Mark Raile, and Kyle Grassia, all of the NYPD Harbor Unit.
According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, Arius Williams was present at his mother’s house for a Mother’s Day celebration on May 10th, 2025. Arius Williams ended up in an argument with his mother, and out of anger left the property with the victim. Family members spend approximately two and a half hours searching for the victim before Arius Williams returned to an aunt’s house without the toddler, the defendant refusing to answer any questions about the victim’s whereabouts. The victim’s mother filed a petition in Family Court due to Arius Williams going against the active visitation order by not returning the victim to his mother. A warrant was issued in pursuit of bringing back the child to his mother on May 28th, 2025. The victim’s mother would end up confronting Arius Williams once more on June 8th, 2025, where allegedly Arius Williams had held a knife up to her and confessed to throwing the toddler into a river. The victim’s body was located and retrieved by NYPD divers in the East River near Whitestone Bridge on June 11th, 2025. Surveillance footage allegedly depicts the victim alive and standing next to Arius Williams before he was thrown off of an overpass on the Bruckner Overpass.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Arius Williams are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
