Yasemin Uyar
A New Jersey woman who was abducted with her 2-year-old son has been found dead, say authorities. The body of Yasemin Uyar, 24, was discovered by investigators in a wooded area off I-40 in Tennessee, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement Sunday morning. Now Tyler Rios, the father of her 2-year-old son Sebastian Rios, will be charged in her death, authorities said. Investigators did not specify how Yasemin died.
“Tyler Rios, 27, of Highland Park is charged with first-degree kidnapping in connection with the alleged abduction of 2-year-old Sebastian Rios, and additional criminal charges are pending in connection with the death of 24-year-old Yasmine Uyar of Rahway,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Tyler Rios, who is Sebastian’s father, abducted Yasemin and the boy from the city of Rahway, New Jersey State Police said as part of an AMBER Alert on Friday. The mother had no-showed work shifts and the young son did not arrive to daycare, the prosecutor’s office said in an update on Saturday. Sebastian was found safe with Tyler Rios early Saturday in Monterey, Tennessee, but Yasemin remained missing.
Uyar’s death is the culmination of alleged domestic violence. Tyler Rios had assaulted Yasemin several times, and gets violent when he drinks, the victim’s mother Karen Uyar told WPIX on Friday. Yasemin had a restraining order against Rios, and they had not been together as a couple since shortly after Sebastian was born, Uyar said.
“Typical textbook case of domestic violence,” friend Robyn Morris told CBS New York. “Progressively got worse, and this is where it’s ending.”
“This is probably the hardest few days of our lives,” Karen Uyar told NBC New York. “[Sebastian is] happy, he’s playing right now. He’s obviously confused, asking for mommy. He’ll start his healing process.”
“Tyler Rios remains in custody in Tennessee pending extradition back to New Jersey, after which a first appearance and detention hearing will be scheduled to take place in Union County Superior Court,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Authorities asked that anyone with information about the case to call Union County Prosecutor’s Office Lt. Johnny Ho at (908) 403-8271 or Detective Richard Acosta at (908) 347-0404.
[Image via New Jersey State Police]