Newark 7-Year-Old’s Death Ruled A Homicide, Mother’s Boyfriend Charged – CBS New York

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – Authorities have arrested the boyfriend of a woman whose 7-year-old son was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at a hospital after an emergency call to a New Jersey residence earlier this week.

Mark Harper, age 36 of Union, was charged with murder on Thursday, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Mark Harper (credit: Essex County Prosecutor’s Office)

Authorities were called around 8:30 a.m. Monday to reports of a sick or injured person at a home on Weequahic Avenue. There police found 7-year-old Ayden Brown unresponsive and rushed the child to Beth Israel Medical Center.

Ayden Brown (credit: Brown Family)

Family members said the boyfriend of the child’s mother left the scene as soon as the ambulance arrived.

Newark police are urging anyone with information this case to call the Department’s 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867).