A Wisconsin father has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after the tragic discovery of his 12-year-old son’s severely malnourished body in their home. The child was found in a distressing condition, covered in maggots and weighing only 54 pounds, with the additional heartbreaking detail of having two broken arms.
Romuan J. Moye, 45, has been handed a lengthy prison sentence of 47 ½ years for the tragic loss of his son, Jacarie Robinson, as revealed by online court records. The individual admitted to committing first-degree reckless homicide, chronic neglect of a child, and failing to report the death of a child.
According to a report from the local Fox affiliate WITI, Judge Laura Crivello described it as the most severe case she has encountered in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
According to a report by Law&Crime, Moye’s arrest in February occurred approximately four months after the victim’s brother discovered Jacarie’s body in an extremely deteriorated condition at Moye’s residence.
During an interview with Milwaukee CBS affiliate WDJT, authorities revealed that they received a tip from a “outside source” which proved to be crucial in locating Moye for questioning. This tip came after months of extensive searching.
According to Detective Mike Driscoll, Moye seemed to vanish after Jacarie’s body was found.
Police officers in Milwaukee were called to an apartment complex on North Elmhurst Road at around 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 10 for a reported incident. According to a probable cause affidavit, the caller informed the emergency dispatcher about the unfortunate discovery of a deceased 12-year-old child inside the residence.
Upon arrival, emergency personnel found the individual who made the call, who was identified as JM, the 22-year-old son of Moye, according to court records.
According to the man, his three younger brothers, aged 17, 15, and 12, usually resided in the apartment with Moye. However, he mentioned that in recent weeks, the older children had been staying with their mother, while the youngest, referred to as “JR,” continued to be under Moye’s supervision.
Based on police records, JM reported that he had recently visited his father and observed some unusual behavior, including frequent deep breaths. However, JM clarified that he did not enter the apartment. Concerned about his father’s unusual behavior, JM contacted the police and decided to visit the apartment once more on October 10th. When there was no response from Moye, JM entered the apartment to ensure his well-being.
JM informed the authorities that Moye stated he had been diagnosed with cancer and asserted that it had worsened in recent months, expressing that his time was limited.
According to JM’s statement to the police, Moye had been isolating the victim from the family, citing the boy’s recent behavioral issues. JM’s final memory of his younger brother was at the boy’s birthday celebration on August 19th. He remembered seeing JR looking very thin and wondering what he was eating.
JM also characterized Moye as someone who administered strict discipline, but stated that physical punishment was not frequently used. According to reports, Moye informed the victim’s mother about the recent behavior of the victim, including incidents of acting out and taking food without permission.
According to the victim’s 15-year-old sister, her father allegedly “punishes” the victim for taking food without permission.
According to the police affidavit, the defendant allegedly made threatening statements towards JR during their interview with the child.
Upon entering Moye’s home, homicide detectives were greeted by an overpowering odor of mold, feces, and decay, prompting them to take over the scene.
“There was molded food on the counters of the kitchen. The refrigerator appeared to be functional but was filled with molded food. The bathroom was filled with garbage and the toilet was filled with human feces. The vanity sink and shower were covered in mold.”
According to detectives, the victim’s body was in a state of severe malnourishment and showed signs of decay, with maggots present on his face and mouth.
The autopsy findings revealed that the victim had a recently fractured right humerus, with the break described as “very large” and displaying an irregular pattern, which is atypical for a fracture. It was observed that the left humerus was fractured, along with two ribs that were in the process of healing at the time of the victim’s death.
The body was found to weigh just 54 pounds during the autopsy.