Father arrested in death of 5-year-old whose body was found in Rio Grande at T or C

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, New Mexico — New Mexico State Police have now identified the body found in the Rio Grande last month, ABC affiliate KOAT reported Friday night.

Officials say the body was 5-year-old Shaquille Ferguson Jr. of Truth or Consequences.

According to officials with NMSP, officers responded to a welfare check on 5-year-old Shaquille Jr. in Truth or Consequences on June 18.

Officers say the grandmother of Shaquille Jr. requested the welfare check and said she saw the boy with his father Shaquille Ferguson Sr. more than two weeks ago near the Rio Grande at Rotary Park in T or C.

The investigation led officers with the NMSP dive team to the Rio Grande where they found a body about six miles from Rotary Park, officials said.

After further investigation, agents learned that in June, a witness reported seeing Shaquille Jr. tied up by Shaquille Sr. for misbehaving.

Another witness who was parked at the riverbank on June 12 said they saw a man matching Shaquille Sr’s description take a small child matching Shaquille Jr.’s description down to the river, and return a short time later without the child.

On Aug. 6, officials positively identified the recovered body as Shaquille Jr.

Shaquille Sr. was arrested on Aug. 12. and is facing charges of negligent abuse of a child resulting in death, abuse of a child (tortured, cruelly confined, or cruelly punished), and obstruction of an investigation of child abuse.