Woodbridge Man Charged With Murder In Death Of Son, 4

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ — A Woodbridge man has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 4-year-old son, who died last February.

Sean Tate, 36, was arrested without incident Tuesday in Woodbridge and charged with first-degree murder and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Somerset County Jail.

At approximately 3:24 p.m. on Feb. 19, 2024, police in Franklin Township in Somerset County responded to a unnamed hotel for a report of an unresponsive 4-year-old boy.

When police got to the hotel, Tate told them his 4-year-old biological child fell off a toilet two days ago, sustaining an injury, and also that the boy hit his head on an AC unit prior to that. Tate reported that the injury from the toilet was visible, so he iced the injury before going to bed that night.

When he woke up the next morning, Tate stated that the child was unresponsive, and he called 911. The child was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m. that same day. Medical personnel reported that the child was emaciated and appeared to have sustained multiple injuries.

An autopsy was conducted by the New Jersey Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. On February 4 of this year, the boy's manner of death was ruled a homicide. A warrant was issued for Tate's arrest and he was arrested this week.

Police request that anyone with information relating to this homicide contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (908) 231-7100 or the Franklin Township Police Department at (732) 873-5533 or via the STOPit app.

The STOPit app allows citizens to provide anonymous reports including videos and photos. STOPit can be downloaded to your smartphone for free at the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, access code: SOMERSETNJ.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1--888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.