Memorial service held for mother, young son found dead in Wakefield apartment
Police said the bodies of Lisa Cotton and Nazir Mordecia Milien Jr. were found inside their second-floor apartment on East 231st Street.
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Family and friends gathered for a memorial service on Sunday to remember a 38-year-old mother and her 8-year-old son, who were found dead inside of their Wakefield apartment on April 18.
Police said the bodies of Lisa Cotton and Nazir Mordecia Milien Jr. were found inside their second-floor apartment on East 231st Street.
“I just remember them happy,” said Tawana Smith-Tention, Cotton’s sister. “I just know that she loved to keep her kids happy. Every time you saw her, you saw her kids. Nazir’s been in and out of the hospital since he was a baby. She had to travel to Brooklyn, and whatever she had to do, she did.”
A wellness check led to the grim discovery, where officials said a 4-year-old girl was also found alive – lying in her bed and surviving off chocolate.
Cotton's sister told News 12 on Sunday that the little girl is now in the custody of her grandparents.
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“She’s fine,” Smith-Tention said. “She’s happy. We’re just making sure that she’s content. We’re making sure she’s staying in school.”
The family said the young boy was autistic, non-verbal, used a feeding tube and a wheelchair. Cotton struggled with mental health and had an open case with the Administration for Children’s Services.
“As far as [officials] know, [Cotton died of] cardiac arrest, but they’re still looking into it,” Smith-Tention said.
As of Sunday, the city’s Medical Examiner’s Office had not released an official cause of death for the mother and son.
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Wakefield community holds vigil for mother, son found dead in apartment
