D.A. Bragg: Parents Of 4 Year Old Jah’Meik Modlin Indicted For Murder

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of NYTAVIA RAGSDALE, 26, and LARON MODLIN, 25, for the death of their 4-year-old son Jah'Meik Modlin and the abuse of their three other children, ages 5, 6, and 7, in their Harlem apartment. RAGSDALE and MODLIN are charged in a New York State indictment with Murder in the Second Degree, four counts of Assault in the First Degree, Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Criminally Negligent Homicide and four counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.[1]

"The death of Jah'Meik Modlin, an innocent four-year-old child, is a tragedy that has scarred this city. That he died a slow and painful death, starving alongside his older siblings, somehow isolated in the heart of Harlem, is a stain on our collective conscience," said District Attorney Bragg. "Today his parents are indicted for allegedly killing him through extreme physical neglect and persistent abuse with depraved indifference for his life. Our Child Abuse Bureau is working diligently to secure justice for Jah'Meik and to support his three siblings during this immensely difficult process. If you are aware of severe neglect or abuse, please call 911 in an emergency, or contact us at 212-335-4308."

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, at approximately 7:42 p.m. on October 13, 2024, MODLIN called 911 and stated in substance that Jah'Meik was non-responsive. The child was taken to the hospital and was given end of life care until he died at approximately 5:50 a.m. the next morning.

According to court documents and statements made on the record, RAGSDALE and MODLIN actively starved their children for approximately two years while purchasing food for themselves on a daily basis. The apartment had a working refrigerator that contained fresh produce but was turned so that the door was facing the wall and could not be opened. Any cabinet containing food had a zip tie on the handle.

One bedroom in the three-bedroom apartment was covered in feces. The floor could not be seen through the amount of dirt and excrement on the floor. The walls were smeared with feces to the approximate height of a child. The only other items in the room were a few pieces of broken furniture, as well as a mattress, propped on its side and covered in feces. This room was the only room in the apartment with a lock, which was placed on the outside, allowing someone to lock an individual inside of the room. None of the other rooms in the house had doorknobs.

Jah'Meik and his siblings were not in school and had not seen a doctor in over two years. The defendants kept any family or friends from visiting in person, limiting communication to phone or video chats, continuing to isolate the children and hide each of their deteriorating conditions.

At the time of his death, Jah'Meik weighed approximately 19 pounds, less than zero percent on the growth chart for children his age. He suffered from malnutrition, dehydration, and starvation. At the time of his death, he had almost no body fat.

Jah'Meik and his siblings arrived at the hospital with layers of dirt on their skin and feces matted in their hair. His siblings, who remain hospitalized for malnutrition, displayed very limited fine motor skills, and were incapable of holding any utensils or of feeding themselves. As nutrients have been introduced these abilities are starting to return.

Assistant D.A. Heather Buchanan (Chief of the Child Abuse Bureau) and Assistant D.A. Lindsay Gus are handling the prosecution of this case under the supervision of Executive Assistant D.A. Justin McNabney (Chief of the Special Victims Division).

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[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.