Queens mother charged with murdering her toddler after he's found unconscious at home

A 28-year-old Queens mother was charged with murder Monday night after police said they found her in a Jamaica home with her 15-month-old son, who was unconscious at the time and was later declared dead at a local hospital.

Nicole Boodhai was arrested around 7:30 p.m., about six hours after NYPD officers responding to a 911 call about an assault found her at the toddler’s home on 157th Street near 109th Avenue, officials said. Police said she had slashes to her wrists and was taken to Jamaica Hospital in stable condition, along with the boy, Charlie Ramraykha.

Authorities said they are still investigating how exactly Ramraykha died and a potential motive.

Law enforcement officials said there was no trauma to the child’s body and he wasn't found in water. Boodhai used a box cutter to slash herself, officials said, and the murder charges were based on statements she made to police.

A spokesperson for the chief medical examiner’s office said more testing is needed to determine the cause of the child’s death.

Boodhai was also charged with endangering a child’s welfare in connection with Ramraykha’s death. Officials said she lives at a different Jamaica address, several blocks from his home. Her attorney's information was not available early Tuesday as she awaited her arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.

NYPD data shows there were six homicides this year through Dec. 28 in the 103rd Precinct, which includes Jamaica and Hollis, one fewer than by the same date in 2024. Citywide, homicides have declined more than 20% year over year, the data shows.

Following the incident, the NYPD Domestic Violence Unit and the Queens Family Justice Center brought six bags of food and toiletries to the family, along with Uber vouchers for food and transport through the city’s “Hope Rides,” officials said.

“The Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence works in partnership with City agencies and community-based organizations to support survivors of domestic and gender-based violence and connect them to services through New York City’s Family Justice Centers,” city spokesperson Bernie Lubell said. “Through the Queens Family Justice Center, ENDGBV-supported services helped connect a family to available resources.”

The victim services group Jahajee, which focuses on Indo-Caribbean people, also provided services for the family.

This is a developing story based on preliminary information from police and may be updated.