New Jersey

Killer Dads: Fathers who ended their children's lives in situations involving child custody, visitation, and/or child support

NEW JERSEY

Bergen County

Father: ALLEN MCNEIL JR.
Victim(s): Allen McNeil III (3 years)
Date of Death: September 2011
Boy suffocated to death with dead father’s body found on top of him. Bodies found when Dad failed to show up for scheduled visitation with mother. Appears dad had custody.

Camden County

Father: DAVID CREATO JR.
Victim(s): 3-year-old son
Date of Death: October 2015
Father reported son missing, later found dead in public park. Father charged with murder in January 2016. Media reports that parents did not live together, but specific custodial arrangments not specified. Later reports clarified that father had joint custody and/or weekend visitation. Charged with murder in January 2016. Prosecutors allege that father killed son to impress teenage girlfriend.

Essex County

Father: TAMIR LITTLE
Victim(s): Neveah Turner (3 years)
Date of Death: November 2009
Father gained custody in July 2009, and began abusing the child almost immediately. Father arrested, charged with murder in May 2010. No update to this case as of October 2014.

Father: SHAMSIDDEN ABDUR-RAHEEM
Victim(s): Zara Malani-Lin Abdur (3 months)
Date of Death: February 2010
Father had been “feuding” with mother about how often he got to see the baby. While mother was getting a protection order, father abducted baby from babysitting grandmother. Baby was “allegedly” thrown off bridge. In May 2010, baby’s body was found and positively identified. Was found guilty of murder in September 2012. In November 2012, sentenced to life in prison.

Monmouth County

*Father: ARTHUR FREEMAN III
Victim(s): Tierra Morgan-Glover (2 years)
Date of Death: November 2011
Despite history of domestic violence, father obtained court-ordered visitation. Father accused of murdering daughter by throwing her off bridge into creek. Father later arrested in California after disappearing. Father found guilty of murder, sentenced to life in prison in May 2014.

Passaic County

Father: EDELMIRO GONZALEZ
Victim(s): Adrian Gonzalez (7 years)
Date of Death: November 2009
Father in "bitter custody dispute" with "estranged" wife. 7-year-old son shot to death; 11-year-old son, wife, left in critical condition. Father shot and killed by off-duty police officer.

Union County

Father: JENS ELBERLING
Victim(s): Thomas (11 years)
Date of Death: September 2014
Father with shared custody shoots son to death, sets house on fire, then shoots himself in apparent suicide. Appears that father has previous history of domestic violence against the mother, as police had reportedly come to the marital residence before.