A man has been accused of pushing his mother to her death in a Manhattan park, and sources have revealed that he had a history of violence and was sent away for treatment just months before the tragic incident, as reported by The New York Post.
The man, identified as Miguel Duval, 22, allegedly beat his mother, 44-year-old beautician Vianel Garcia, with a stick and a rock after she fell to the bottom of an embankment at Riverside Park, according to law enforcement sources.
Neighbors of Garcia’s beauty salon in East Harlem shared that she was trying to help her son, who seemed to be struggling with mental health issues. The neighbor mentioned that Duval had changed around the age of 18 and had a noticeable shift in behavior.
According to reports, Duval killed his mother following a verbal argument that turned physical. He pushed her down a hill and then fatally assaulted her with a rock and stick.
Neighbors revealed that Garcia had sent her son to the Dominican Republic for treatment, but something went wrong, and he was sent back to New York, where he continued to cause trouble.
Duval had been previously arrested for kicking another person in the head, and he was living in a men’s shelter in Washington Heights at the time of the murder.
Community members shared their shock and sadness over the tragic incident, emphasizing the need for prayers for both Garcia and her son.
Despite the shocking nature of the crime, some neighbors mentioned that Duval’s troubled behavior was not entirely surprising.
Garcia’s home was filled with mourners, and a memorial of candles and flowers was set up outside her beauty salon, where she had a loyal clientele.
One neighbor recalled Garcia seeking help from the police due to her son’s struggles with mental illness, highlighting the loving and caring nature of the family.
Duval has been charged with second-degree murder by the police.
