Father Of Lakehurst Toddler Wanted For Murder
Medical examiner says toddler died of "homicidal violence''
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The father of a 2-year-old girl found partially submerged in a stream of Shark River Park on Tuesday is wanted for the murder of the Lakehurst girl, authorities said Wednesday.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Peter E. Warshaw said in a 4 p.m. conference that an arrest warrant has been issued for Tierra Morgan-Glover's father, 27-year-old Arthur Morgan III, charging him with the murder of the toddler whose body was found Tuesday afternoon.
Morgan was originally charged with the second degree offense of endangering the welfare of a child and interference with custody, Warshaw said.
The girl was considered missing after she did not return home from a visitation with Morgan on Monday. An autopsy performed Wednesday morning determined Tierra was the victim of "homicidal violence'' by being submerged in water, Warshaw said.
The toddler's body was discovered by local teens out walking in the park. She was still strapped to a car seat when she was found, Warshaw said.
There is an active investigation to locate Arthur Morgan, involving municipal and county authorities as well as the FBI, Warshaw said.
Warshaw said no Amber Alert was issued at first for the little girl because the situation was considered a custodial matter. The girl's body was found between 14 and 17 hours after her mother first reported her missing, Warshaw said.
Warshaw declined to comment on Arthur Morgan's criminal history or his relationship with the girl's mother.
Morgan's last known address was at an apartment complex in Eatontown, Warshaw said. Morgan had also been residing with a friend in Ocean Township, according to the prosecutor.
Warshaw was joined by members of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, as well as the chiefs of police in Wall and Lakehurst.
The girl was the subject of a mass search after she did not return home from a scheduled visitation with her father on Monday.
Schoolhouse Road, which leads to the entrance to Shark River Park, was closed to traffic at Belmar Boulevard Wednesday afternoon. A nearby Wall Township police officer kept an eye on any cars entering the road.
BW
6:13 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
This scum should be made the poster boy for bringing back the death penalty. And the judge who ordered unsupervised visitation, after looking at his criminal history, needs to step dowm immediately.
Emilie Difino
6:51 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The article didn't mention a criminal history, so I don't see how this is the judge's fault. But I do agree that this guy is total scum. Anything he gets is better than he deserves.
Tim
7:45 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Yet another reason why the death penalty is needed in this state. It needs to be applied though, not just written into the law and never have the sentence actually carried out. Maybe our politicians should go down to Texas and see how its done.
jrzgirl
9:44 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Every child deserve a father.. not every father deserves their child... not only did her father fail her but the system failed her as well... an amber alert should have went out as soon as she was not returned home at the scheduled time! They call it a "custodial matter" that's bullshit!!
JOHNNY Done it
9:57 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
THIS guy deserves the death penalty The judge who ordered visitation Should under go mental exam & Than be discharged for dereliction of duty for failing do his job ,in getting all the facts..He was not a model citizen & was no stranger to the justice system ..Supervised visitation could have prevented this ..Idiots on both sides of the bench...
Larry
10:37 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Where is the incompetent judge?????? how is he sleeping at night????? this low life had a nasty record and he allowed UNSUPERVISED visitation!!!! SHAME on THE JUDGE and THE system!!! another innocent child TORTURED to DEATH.....
Brian P Tierney 2st.
10:49 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Very sad story I pray peace over blessed girl and her familys. And father will be catch by police sure pray for God get soon
guppy
9:29 am on Thursday, November 24, 2011
Save the tax payers some money, just shoot him between the eyes, and through him in to Shark River
1stcav
12:25 pm on Thursday, November 24, 2011
Pos , God Bless this child as she see's my Load and savior Jesus Christ Almighty on this Thanksgiving Day I hope the Family can find some sort of piece Knowing she is with God today...and he will be with the devil on HIS do day !!!! Rot in Hell, Father dearest !
Alex W
12:41 am on Friday, November 25, 2011
Amen!
.
7:52 am on Friday, November 25, 2011
I hope they catch this guy soon.
Mattie
1:03 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
I accidentally deleted my comment regarding going back to the uncivilized 19th century.
If there's any way to have it reposted, I'd appreciate it.
However in reply to Mr Coffee Mug, in the 1800's public lynchings and hangings mostly took place without benefit of a (real, legit) trial. if there was a trial it was highly prejudiced according to who ran the town, how rich the victim was, and what color the perpetrator was. Hey! Not much different than today! Ok... maybe I see your point.
But seriously, the death penalty - in any form - is a very ineffective deterrent because people who commit atrocious crimes of passion don't think AHEAD to the consequences, and other evil creeps who kill really believe they won't get caught.
And was the negative name calling really necessary to disagree with me? Oh that's right , crybaby liberals ruin everything.... please.
mussel man
4:03 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
way to go cofee mug you turned a tragedy about a little girl into a chest thumping political speech. way to go.the only reason so many sit on death row is because of the backlog of dna evidence sitting on shelves gathering dust. if dna was presented in half of the murder and rape cases there would be such a long wait for the needle that sends them to hell.
mussel man
4:05 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
correction there wouldnt be such a long wait for the needle. dna evidence trumps defense appeals every time.
Mattie
6:39 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
Yeah, and as already proven there are too many waiting on Death Row that do not belong there! DNA testing has saved them. Our justice system is not infallible, and most likely never will be. I don't favor taking the life of a criminal under those circumstances. That being said, I also believe a lifetime in jail, living a crap, freedom-less day to day existence- for 50 or 60 yrs - is the nice loooooooong (suffering) punishment they deserve.
BW
6:49 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
Mattie, 50-60 years in prison translates to about 400,000 TAX DOLLARS. We have to house him, feed him, give him better medical care then you or I can get.
The needle is too good for him. Strap him in a car seat, smack him around a while then place him face down in a stream to suffer a slow agonizing drowning death!
concerned citizen
10:01 pm on Sunday, November 27, 2011
Mr Coffee Mug....Back in the 19th century, there wasn't as many people as there are now and there wasn't the media hyping things and also we did not have the access of finding out what was going on in the country or even in our own state!
Mr Coffee Mug
10:08 am on Monday, November 28, 2011
I'm well aware of the past history and the population differences back in the 17th,18th,19th,20th,an now 21st. OK...... Im glad DNA and Forensic Science, has been able to clear many people of not committing some crimes. The legal system as we all know has alot of faults. I agree there are people convicted of crimes they never did. I could go on and on, etc. about the laws, and the people who enforce the laws. But i'd much rather not.
And only ask this Please write letters / e-mails to our Law makers at the all levels of govt. And lets try to fix what isnt working.
Arlen
11:51 am on Monday, November 28, 2011
My prayers are with the family.
Mike Corbally
5:09 pm on Monday, November 28, 2011
If they have DNA, and a jury finds him guilty beyond reasonable doubt, the death penalty, when carried out will be a very effective deterrent for this guy.
jrzgirl
11:09 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
They caught this low life piece of trash out in CA!! I hope they give him the death penalty! An eye for an eye...
Joseph Nolan
2:51 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Everyone is calling for the death penalty which I think is great. But, lethal injection is a joke. The scum bags that commit such crimes should suffer when they are executed. No simple needle and go off to sleep, thats bullshit. Let them hang or even better the electric chair. Let them feel even if it's a little bit of the suffering they caused the innocent one they murdered.-Joe N.
Toolman
3:59 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Let's put him in a pool and slowly fill it up stop when it gets to his mouth (and wait a day so he can't sleep) and then up to the bottom of his nose (again wait a day) and then over his nose and mount a picture of his daughter looking down at him so that is the last thing he sees. And if the ACLU doesn’t like it make them next!!!!!!