The medical examiner has ruled the death of a 3-year-old East Harlem boy last summer a homicide, police said Friday.
Little Caleb Rivera was taken to a hospital Aug. 3 after authorities responded to a 911 call at the Jefferson Houses for a call of a child in distress.
They found Rivera covered in bruises and took him to a hospital. The boy died two days later.
The city's Administration for Children's Services declined to say whether it had any prior contact with the Rivera family.
"The suffering and death of Caleb is tragic, and we will continue to work with the NYPD to investigate this disturbing matter," the agency said in a statement.
No arrests have been made.
No one answered the door at Rivera's mother's apartment Thursday. A sign on the door read, "I am not home."
Neighbor John DiSalvio claimed he previously witnessed the mother put her hands on the boy.
"She grabbed the kid by the neck, and I told her, "What's wrong with you?'" said DiSalvio. "And she said mind my business, then the boyfriend started to get up in my face."
He said if the mother had anything to do with it, she needs to be held responsible.
"It's all over the city now, people hurting babies," he said.
