wildcard
25th April 2010, 12:27 AM
Body of 3-month-old thrown from bridge believed recovered in Raritan River
http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/nj-man-baby-thrown-bridgejpg-e89ac5c581df6e4c_large.jpg
The father of Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, left, told police he threw the 3-month-old girl from the Garden State Parkway's Driscoll Bridge in February. Authorities believe they have recovered the body of the child.
State Police this morning recovered a body they believe to be that of Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, the 3-month-old infant police say was thrown off the Driscoll Bridge by her father more than two months ago.
According to the State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones, the body was discovered this morning by people doing survey work on the southern bank of the Raritan River, near the Victory Bridge in Sayreville. The clothing and wrappings of the found baby are consistent with what Abdur-Raheem was last seen in, but an official identification from the medical examiner's office could take several days if a DNA test is needed, Jones said.
In February, the baby's father, Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem, 21, of Galloway Township, Atlantic County, allegedly snatched his daughter from the apartment of the girl's grandmother, Leno Benjamin, in East Orange. When he was later apprehended at his father's home in Winslow Township, Camden County, Abdur-Raheem told police he had thrown the infant over the side of the Driscoll Bridge, authorities said.
The day before the kidnapping, the baby’s mother, Venetta Benjamin, 23, went to police seeking a restraining order against Abdur-Raheem. But because it was a holiday — Presidents Day — the order was not issued until the next day, when the court reopened.
Before the temporary restraining order could even be served on Abdur-Raheemon on Feb. 16, the college student and aspiring lawyer allegedly barged into Benjamin's mother's home and attacked her when she tried to stop him from leaving with the baby.
Benjamin and Abdur-Raheem met as students at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, but in early February, Benjamin said she sought refuge from Abdur-Raheem at her mother's home.
Days after the kidnapping, as divers continued to search for her daughter in the river, Benjamin said she believed her ex-boyfriend was lying and the baby was still alive. But Jones said Benjamin was notified today that the baby found by the river is believed to be her daughter.
Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem is charged with kidnapping and attempted murder in Essex County for injuring the baby's grandmother. He pleaded not guilty to those charges and is being held in Essex County Jail.
Although the baby's body had not been found, Abdur-Raheem was also charged with murder in Middlesex County. He pleaded not guilty to that charge as well.
Vid and more at link:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/body_of_3-month-old_thrown_fro.html
http://media.nj.com/ledgerupdates_impact/photo/nj-man-baby-thrown-bridgejpg-e89ac5c581df6e4c_large.jpg
The father of Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, left, told police he threw the 3-month-old girl from the Garden State Parkway's Driscoll Bridge in February. Authorities believe they have recovered the body of the child.
State Police this morning recovered a body they believe to be that of Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, the 3-month-old infant police say was thrown off the Driscoll Bridge by her father more than two months ago.
According to the State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones, the body was discovered this morning by people doing survey work on the southern bank of the Raritan River, near the Victory Bridge in Sayreville. The clothing and wrappings of the found baby are consistent with what Abdur-Raheem was last seen in, but an official identification from the medical examiner's office could take several days if a DNA test is needed, Jones said.
In February, the baby's father, Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem, 21, of Galloway Township, Atlantic County, allegedly snatched his daughter from the apartment of the girl's grandmother, Leno Benjamin, in East Orange. When he was later apprehended at his father's home in Winslow Township, Camden County, Abdur-Raheem told police he had thrown the infant over the side of the Driscoll Bridge, authorities said.
The day before the kidnapping, the baby’s mother, Venetta Benjamin, 23, went to police seeking a restraining order against Abdur-Raheem. But because it was a holiday — Presidents Day — the order was not issued until the next day, when the court reopened.
Before the temporary restraining order could even be served on Abdur-Raheemon on Feb. 16, the college student and aspiring lawyer allegedly barged into Benjamin's mother's home and attacked her when she tried to stop him from leaving with the baby.
Benjamin and Abdur-Raheem met as students at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, but in early February, Benjamin said she sought refuge from Abdur-Raheem at her mother's home.
Days after the kidnapping, as divers continued to search for her daughter in the river, Benjamin said she believed her ex-boyfriend was lying and the baby was still alive. But Jones said Benjamin was notified today that the baby found by the river is believed to be her daughter.
Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem is charged with kidnapping and attempted murder in Essex County for injuring the baby's grandmother. He pleaded not guilty to those charges and is being held in Essex County Jail.
Although the baby's body had not been found, Abdur-Raheem was also charged with murder in Middlesex County. He pleaded not guilty to that charge as well.
Vid and more at link:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/body_of_3-month-old_thrown_fro.html