A Connecticut mother was arrested after allegedly admitting the murder of her 4-year-old son, officials said on Sunday.
New London police responded at approximately 6:27 am on Sunday to a report of a woman damaging a vehicle parked with a bat outside an apartment on 242 Nautilus Drive.
Upon arriving at the scene, the police made contact with the owner of the vehicle. The reported suspicion, later identified as 33-year-old Tiffany Farrauto, had left the scene before the police arrived.
While on the spot with the owner of the vehicle, Farrauto approached the police and reported that he had “strangled” his four-year-old son, who was inside the apartment.
New London police chief Peter Reichard said at a news conference on Sunday that Farrauto told officers to “take me away”. When one of the policemen asked why she wanted to be taken, “she indicated that she had hurt her son and that her son was in the apartment,” Reichard claimed.
The police immediately entered the apartment, where they found an unconscious and indifferent boy. Police officers immediately started CPR in an attempt to resuscitate the child, while notifying emergency medical staff. The child was later transported to the L + M Hospital by the New London Fire Department. The child was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival at the hospital by the medical staff.
The scene was immediately protected and detectives responded to investigate the incident. The Office of the Prosecutor of the State of the New Judicial District of London, the Serious Crimes Unit of the State Police of Connecticut – East District and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner were notified and also responded to the scene.
Farrauto was initially arrested on two counts of criminal fraud in the third degree. After further investigation, Farrauto was also charged with murder and the risk of injuring a minor.
Speaking about the child’s death during Sunday’s press conference, Reichard began to get emotional.
“I talked to the first police officers who arrived at the scene. They were shocked by this. They all have children of the same age and it comes home. It hits you right in the stomach, ”Reichard said as he tried to contain his tears. “I went to the ER myself, where several of my policemen and the entire ER team were. It hits them too and they do these things every day. It’s not easy.”
Reichard added that he would not publicly identify the boy until the child’s father and family were notified first. The police offered their condolences to the child’s family in a statement posted on the department’s Facebook page.
An investigation into the incident is still ongoing. An autopsy will be performed on Monday to determine the cause of the child’s death. Farrauto, who is on $ 2 million bail, will also undergo DNA testing, Reichard said.
Anyone who has information about this investigation should contact the New London Police Department’s detective office at 860-447-1481. Anonymous tips can be sent via the New London Tips 411 system via NLPDTip text message plus information to Tip411 (847411).