Divers find body of 2-year-old feared to have been thrown in river by father during custody visit, reports say

NEW YORK (Gray News) – A child’s body that was pulled from the Bronx River is likely that of 2-year-old Montrell Williams, a missing boy from the Bronx, according to local reports.

WCBS and WNBC both report that the NYPD Harbor Unit discovered the child’s body in the river on Wednesday.

While the identity has not been confirmed, police believe it is the body of Montrell.

WABC reports that detectives believe Montrell may have been thrown into the Bronx River by his father.

According to the NYPD, Montrell was last seen on May 10 at approximately 10 p.m. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and a diaper.

Divers began focusing their search in the Bronx River near the Bruckner Expressway.

WABC reports that Montrell vanished after a custodial visit with his father, who never returned the toddler to his mother. It’s unclear what day he was supposed to be returned.

Montrell’s mother, 17, reportedly spotted the father, 20, on the street this past weekend after he did not return her son. When she asked him where Montrell was, his response was alarming, police said.

Sources tell WNBC that the father allegedly pulled out a knife, and the mom called police. WNBC reports that the father allegedly told the mother he had thrown their child in the river.

The father, who has not been publicly identified, was taken into custody for questioning, according to WNYW.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Copyright 2025 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.