Wis. dad wanted after 12-year-old son’s body is found in 'advanced state of decomposition'

MILWAUKEE (TCD) -- A 45-year-old man is being charged with several child neglect-related crimes after his 12-year-old son was found dead and badly decomposing in his home.

The Milwaukee Police Department announced the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged Romuan Moye with one count each of chronic neglect of a child — consequence is death, chronic neglect of a child — consequence is bodily harm, chronic neglect of a child, and failure to report the death of a child in connection with his son’s death.

The boy was found dead Oct. 10 at approximately 6:10 p.m. at a home on the 4100 block of North Elmhurst Road. Milwaukee Police said the child’s cause of death was still under investigation.

According to the criminal complaint, police went to the home after receiving a call about a deceased child whose body was "in an advanced state of decomposition."

WITI-TV identified the victim as Jacarie Robinson. The affidavit says Jacarie lived at Moye’s house with two other children, but they were staying with their mother at the time.

Police spoke with Moye’s son, who said he went to Moye’s house four to five days before Jacarie was found dead. The son, who was identified as "JM" in the affidavit, said Moye was "acting abnormal, repeatedly taking deep breaths." JM said he was worried about his father and asked Moye to keep in touch. JM reportedly did not go into the house, nor did he see Jacarie.

On Oct. 8, JM reportedly texted his father and said he was going to drop off two of his siblings at Moye’s house. Moye initially agreed, then later said he was not home. Two days later, JM went to Moye’s residence, knocked on the door, and asked his father to come outside.

Moye did not answer, so JM went inside. The affidavit says he was "immediately struck by the strong odor from inside," but he did not see anyone. He went outside, then reentered. When he walked through the living room, he reportedly "observed a human foot protruding from covers on the living room floor."

JM reportedly lifted up the cover and saw Jacarie’s face "eaten up" and decomposed "with maggots present." His body had been wrapped in a blanket and his face covered with a torn T-shirt.

According to the affidavit, Moye allegedly told JM he had cancer and that it started to worsen. JM also told investigators Moye had reportedly recently been forbidding Jacarie to see other relatives. Moye would allegedly let other siblings go out of the house, but not Jacarie. JM reportedly last saw Jacarie alive on the boy’s birthday on Aug. 19, and noticed he looked "extremely skinny."

JM reportedly asked Jacarie if he was OK, and Jacarie allegedly responded, "No."

The affidavit says Jacarie’s mother had not seen him for three years, but she spoke with him on the phone about five weeks prior to his death. Moye allegedly told the mother Jacarie often stole food, so he would not let the boy go to her house. The other children, however, could go. The mother sent Moye a text on Oct. 10 asking to see Jacarie, but Moye reportedly never responded.

Police searched the home and noticed "an overwhelming smell of mold, feces, and decay."

The home was reportedly covered in trash and mold, including the kitchen and bathroom sinks.

Jacarie’s siblings allegedly told police Moye home-schooled them and that Jacarie "misbehaves and gets into constant trouble." Jacarie reportedly often snuck into the kitchen to steal food.

The autopsy showed Jacarie had several fractured bones, some of which were in the process of healing. He weighed 54 pounds when he died and was "extremely malnourished and emaciated."

MORE:

• Suspect Criminally Charged in Connection to a Child Neglect which Caused Death - Milwaukee Police Department
• State of Wisconsin vs. Romuan Moye
• Milwaukee boy found dead, 'malnourished,' medical examiner says - WITI