Police find remains of starving boy in bin

THE remains of a seven-year-old boy were found in a plastic storage bin, a day after his two brothers were found alive but starving in a locked room in the same house, authorities said.

Police were searching for the woman in whose care the children had been left several months ago.

The dead boy, Faheem Williams, had been dead for weeks when he was found on Sunday, Edward Gordon of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office told The Newark Star-Ledger. An autopsy was ordered.

Faheem’s twin brother, Raheem, and another brother, Tyrone, aged four, were being treated for starvation and dehydration at University Hospital. Both were in fair condition yesterday, said hospital spokesman Rogers Ramsey. He could not give details.

Several months ago, the children’s mother had left them in the care of a woman named Sherry Murphy, authorities said.

Authorities did not give the mother’s name. Mr Gordon said she was believed to be in a New York City hospital since being hit by a car.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said authorities also were seeking information on the whereabouts of two or three other children connected to Ms Murphy, although he wasn’t sure of their relationship to her.

Mr Gordon said Murphy’s boyfriend, Shawn Slappy, found the surviving boys on Saturday while looking for work boots in the basement.

Mr Slappy, 31, told police he had been living in the house for two weeks and knew nothing about the children, Mr Gordon said.

Police only found Faheem’s body after one of the other boys told police at the hospital that his brother had been missing for weeks, Mr Gordon said.

Neighbour Debra Barnes, 44, said she had never exchanged a greeting with Ms Murphy since moving in two months ago and had never seen the three boys. However, she said she saw a 12-or 13-year-old girl about two weeks ago who referred to Ms Murphy as “mom.”