Body Believed to Be Missing 2-Year-Old Montrell Williams Found in East River

Body Believed to Be Missing 2-Year-Old Montrell Williams Found in East River

BRONX, NY — A heartbreaking discovery was made on Wednesday as NYPD Harbor officers recovered the body of a young child from the East River, near Ferry Point Park by the Whitestone Bridge. Authorities believe the body may be that of 2-year-old Montrell Williams, the Bronx toddler who has been missing for over a month.

The child, described as a male approximately Montrell’s age, has not yet been formally identified. Police say the remains match the description of the missing boy, but a positive identification is still pending.

Montrell was last seen on May 9 during a scheduled custodial visit with his father. According to investigators, the child was never returned to his mother. The following day, after a family dispute, Montrell’s father reportedly left with the boy and disappeared.

As the search intensified, investigators uncovered alarming developments. On June 8, Montrell’s 17-year-old mother reported a disturbing encounter: she saw the boy’s father, confronted him, and during the exchange, he allegedly threatened her with a knife and claimed he had thrown their son into the river. She immediately contacted the police.

Surveillance footage obtained by detectives appears to show the father throwing a black bag into the Bronx River, strengthening fears that the child had been harmed. As a result, police named the 20-year-old father a person of interest in the case.

He appeared in Bronx Family Court earlier this week on a warrant for violating the custody agreement. When he failed to reveal Montrell’s whereabouts, the judge ordered him jailed. No criminal charges have been filed at this time, but the investigation is ongoing.

The NYPD emphasizes that Montrell’s mother is not believed to have been involved in his disappearance and is cooperating fully with authorities.

As the community awaits confirmation and mourns this unimaginable loss, police urge anyone with information to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

This tragedy has left a deep scar on the Bronx and beyond — a reminder of how precious and vulnerable our children are, and how urgently justice is needed when that innocence is taken.