Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office

                                 25 Kirkpatrick Street, 3rd Floor, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08901 (732) 745-3300

 

                                *Press Release*           Date: August 19, 2009

                                                      
 
 

        

 

 

 

 

 

Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan, Edison Police Director Bryan Collier and Edison Police Chief Thomas Bryan announced today that on Tuesday, August 18, 2009, at approximately 7:02 p.m., Edison Police received a call from JFK Medical Center that a two month old infant was brought into their emergency room in critical condition as a result of suspected physical abuse.  Edison Police responded to the scene and learned from hospital personnel that the infant was close to death.  The infant was subsequently identified as 10-week old Niral Patel, dob 6/7/09.  The infant was pronounced dead today at 2:24 p.m. by Dr. Krisoff Ohngemach at the hospital.  The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office will be performing an autopsy on the deceased infant.   

 

          There is an ongoing joint investigation by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and Edison Police Department into the apparent abuse of the infant.  As a result of the investigation, Nilesh Patel, age 39, dob 11/7/69, 21 Minebrook Road, Apt. 19-B, Edison was charged yesterday with aggravated assault, a second-degree crime, and endangering the welfare of a child, a second-degree crime.  Mr. Patel is the father of the infant.  Mr. Patel is currently incarcerated at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center in lieu of $500,000 bail, set by Edison Municipal Court Judge Gary Price.  The charges against Mr. Patel were upgraded today, as a result of the infant’s death, to Aggravated Manslaughter, a first-degree offense.  Bail has not been set on the Aggravated Manslaughter complaint.  As required by law, this matter has been referred to the Division of Youth and Family Services for their independent investigation.

 

          Anyone with information concerning this investigation is asked to contact either Investigator Raj Chopra of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3600 or Detective Brian Parente or Detective Frank Varga of the Edison Police Department at (732) 248-7400.