Charles Okonkwo Jr., a Long Island, New York, teenager with a
history of
psychiatric problems killed his 15-year old brother and brutally beat
his mother — a respected physician — into a coma over the weekend,
police say.
Okonkwo, 18, has been charged with assault on his mother, Chinwe
Okonkwo, 52, on Saturday in Dix Hill, New York, but does not yet face
charges on the death of Bradley Okonkwo.
Mrs Okonkwo, a Brooklyn
doctor, has received the Congressional Leadership Award and runs Hope
Outreach Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promote public health
in Brooklyn and across the world.
Charles Okonkwo Sr., Mrs
Okonkwo’s husband, returned home from a hospital stay on Saturday night
and found his son Bradley dead in his bedroom. His wife was laying
unconscious in a pool of blood next to her car in the garage, Newsday
reports.
Mrs Okonkwo was airlifted to a nearby hospital, where she remains in
critical condition. She suffered facial fractures and doctors have had
to relieve swelling on her brain.
Medical examiners could not
immediately determine Bradley Okonkwo’s cause of death and are doing
more tests to try to determine how he died.
Charles Okonkwo Jr. was arrested Saturday night shortly after the
attack was discovered. He had fled the family home in his parents’ BMW
X5 SUV, but was spotted by police just a short distance away from the
crime scene.
He admitted to ‘hurting’ his mother and little
brother, authorities say. In court on Sunday, a defense said that
Charles Okonkwo Jr. had a history of mental illness, but didn’t
elaborate on what sorts of problems he has.
Authorities also offered no motive for the alleged attack. Members of
Long Island’s Nigerian immigrant community stopped by the Okonkwo house
on Sunday to pay their respects to the family.
A family friend
Lawrence Monwe told Newsday that: “This is very tragic. No one saw it
coming. This was the perfect family you wouldn’t expect it to happen
to.”
Source:PM News
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