On January 17, 2023, emergency crews in Manchester, New Hampshire responded to an apartment where 7-year-old Jaevion Riley was found unconscious, not breathing, and suffering severe burns to his face and body. The child was in the care of his biological father, Murtadah Mohammad, who initially claimed he was in the shower and did not see what happened, but later admitted to using force and hot water as forms of discipline. Jaevion was transported to a Boston hospital where he remained in a coma with injuries the hospital described as "torture, mutilation and brutalization," including skull and rib fractures, brain bleeding, lung injuries, severe burns, and a knocked-out tooth. He died on January 24, 2023. His mother had previously reported signs of abuse to the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families, but stated no action was taken. Mohammad was charged with second-degree murder.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources describe severe inflicted injuries. The fatality report (Document 1) lists causes as "COMPLICATIONS OF BLUNT AND THERMAL INJURIES" with injury detail "INJURED BY OTHER(S)." The NBC Boston article (Document 2) states the child suffered "skull and rib fractures, bleeding in the brain, lung injuries, severe burns." The father admitted to using "force and hot water as forms of discipline." The Law & Crime article (Document 3) quotes the mother: "His tooth was kicked out, he has blunt force trauma to the head." The child was found "badly burned and beaten."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Multiple sources state that Mohammad caused the child's death in part by "not obtaining timely medical assistance for his injuries." The NBC Boston article (Document 2) quotes prosecutors saying Mohammad caused the death "by subjecting him to abusive violence and not obtaining timely medical assistance for his injuries." The Law & Crime article (Document 3) contains nearly identical language. This constitutes explicit medical neglect.
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
While not described as "shaken baby syndrome" specifically, the child suffered abusive head trauma. The NBC Boston article (Document 2) states the child had "skull and rib fractures, bleeding in the brain." The Law & Crime article (Document 3) quotes the mother: "he has blunt force trauma to the head." These injuries — skull fractures and brain bleeding from inflicted violence — constitute abusive head trauma.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
The NBC Boston article (Document 2) states the hospital described the child's injuries as "torture, mutilation and brutalization." Additionally, the mother reported signs of prior abuse (bruising) to DCYF before the fatal incident, suggesting an ongoing pattern. The child suffered skull and rib fractures, bleeding in the brain, lung injuries, severe burns, and had a tooth knocked out. The Law & Crime article (Document 3) quotes the mother saying "It looks as if it's from boiling water or oil, or just straight, just, maybe set on fire. His tooth was kicked out, he has blunt force trauma to the head. This man was trying to kill my child." The combination of the hospital's characterization as "torture" and the evidence of prior abuse (bruising reported before the fatal incident) indicates prolonged, deliberately cruel treatment.
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Murtadah Mohammad is explicitly identified as the child's biological father across all sources. The NBC Boston article (Document 2) describes him as the child's father who had "joint custody." He was charged with second-degree murder for causing his son's death. Document 4 (Patch) states Mohammad was "accused of causing the death of his son by burning and beating the child."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The child's mother, Rainah Riley, explicitly stated she reported signs of abuse to child protective services before the fatal incident. The NBC Boston article (Document 2) states: "She said she tried reporting signs of abuse, like bruising, to the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families, but nothing was done." She also said: "I called for wellness checks on him when he was with him, for the bruising, and nobody did anything." This constitutes a clear history of child protection reports prior to death.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Murtadah Mohammad was arrested and charged with second-degree murder for his son's death. The NBC Boston article (Document 2) states: "Murtadah Mohammad has been arrested on one count of second-degree murder in his son's death." He was previously arrested and charged with first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of falsifying physical evidence, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several substantive systemic issues are described. First, the mother Rainah Riley explicitly reported signs of abuse (bruising) to the New Hampshire Division for Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) before the fatal incident, but no action was taken. The NBC Boston article (Document 2) quotes her: "I called for wellness checks on him when he was with him, for the bruising, and nobody did anything. The system has failed not only my child, but so many children." A DCYF representative cited confidentiality laws when asked about this. Second, Mohammad had only recently obtained joint custody of the child a few months before the incident, meaning the family court system granted custody to a parent who then inflicted fatal abuse. Third, the prosecution was transferred from the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office to the state Attorney General's Office when charges were upgraded from assault to second-degree murder, with the county charges expected to be dropped (nolle prossed).
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