Crime

A mother found dead in prison after suffocating her 4-year-old kid with a pillow during a contentious custody dispute

by Clarke
Published On:
A mother found dead in prison after suffocating her 4-year-old kid with a pillow during a contentious custody dispute

Manuela Morgado, a New York woman convicted of murdering her 4-year-old son during a custody dispute in 2012, died in prison on March 4, 2026. She had been sentenced to 20 years to life in 2014 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Jason “Jake” Reish. Her death at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility is under investigation, with her body found around 2 a.m.

Crime Details

In October 2012, Morgado fatally smothered her son with a pillow after giving him Benadryl. She then attempted suicide by overdosing on Xanax and left a note. During police interviews, she stated she intended Jake’s death to be “quick and peaceful so we could be happy together forever” amid an ongoing custody battle with her ex-fiancé.

Sentencing and Aftermath

At sentencing, then-District Attorney Janet DiFiore described the act as a methodical murder by the person meant to protect the child. A record of Morgado’s death is listed on the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision website.

SOURCE

Clarke

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