Middletown Man Charged In Father’s Death

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A Middletown man was just criminally charged with causing the death of his father, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago announced Thursday.

Kyle Kiernan, 36, is charged with second-degree reckless manslaughter in connection with the death of his father, Lawrence Kiernan, 62.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. this past Saturday, June 1, members of the Middletown Police Department responded to a home on the 300 block of Pine Street for a report of domestic violence.

At that time, the son was charged with simple assault and taken into police custody, and taken to the Monmouth County Jail. His father declined medical attention.

Hours later, at approximately 3 a.m. on Sunday, June 2, officers responded back to the home for a 911 call of a medical emergency; Lawrence Kiernan was found unresponsive at the scene and was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced deceased shortly before noon the same day.

Police allege the injuries Lawrence Kiernan sustained during the physical altercation with his son caused his death, and the charges against Kyle Kiernan were upgraded on Wednesday, after an autopsy ruled the death a homicide.

Kyle remains held at the county jail.

Anyone with more information is being urged to contact MCPO Detective Matthew Delgado at 800-533-7443 or Middletown Police Detective Daniel Sullivan at 732-615-2100.

This investigation was done by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Bureau and Middletown Police.