WARNING: BELOW IS GRAPHIC DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT
MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) – Criminal charges have been issued for a Wisconsin man accused of neglecting a child to death.
Romuan J. Moye, 45, of Milwaukee has a warrant out for his arrest after authorities located a 12-year-old boy decomposing inside a residence on Oct. 10.
According to the criminal complaint, officers responded to a residence on the 4000 block of North Elmhurst Road in the City of Milwaukee around 6:15 p.m. on a report of a body inside a residence.
The initial call reports that the body of a deceased 12-year-old child was located inside the residence, and the body was “in an advanced state of decomposition.”
The 12-year-old’s brother was one of the witnesses who discovered the body and spoke to police in a lengthy interview, saying that he stopped by Moye’s residence about five days before the death to visit with the boy.
During the visit, the brother and the boy stayed outside the residence. The brother observed the boy acting abnormally, repeatedly taking deep breaths. The brother reportedly expressed concern for the boy and asked him to stay in contact.
On October 10, the complaint stated that the brother went over to Moye’s residence to check on the 12-year-old. The brother knocked on the door and asked the boy, “if you are in there, please come out.”
The 12-year-old did not answer to door, so when nobody answered, the brother went inside and was “immediately struck by the strong odor from inside.”
The criminal complaint alleges that when the brother went into the living room, he observed a body, which turned out to be his sibling.
The brother had told police that Moye was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and for the past month, he claimed that the cancer progressed and he didn’t have long to live.
As a result, the brother attempted to spend more time with Moye, but Moye was evasive in his attempts to spend time together.
An autopsy showed that the 12-year-old was extremely malnourished and emaciated, with moderate decomposition of the body. The complaint says that the boy weighed 54 pounds at autopsy. The official cause of death is pending toxicology, histology, and further investigation. Additionally, the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office found numerous fractured bones.
Moye faces the following charges:
- Chronic Neglect of a Child (Consequence is Death)
- Up to 60 years in prison
- Chronic Neglect of a Child (Consequence is Bodily Harm)
- Up to 12.5 years in prison
- Up to $25,000 in fines
- Chronic Neglect of a Child (Specified Harm Did Not Occur)
- Up to six years in prison
- Up to $10,000 in fines
- Failure to Report Death of a Child
- Up to three and a half years in prison
- Up to $10,000 in fines
The Milwaukee Police Department does not have Moye in custody at this time, and an arrest warrant has been issued. In total, he is facing up to 82 years in prison and fines up to $45,000.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Milwaukee Police Department at 414-935-7360.
No additional details were provided.
