Politics & Government

Morgado Due Back in Court Thursday

The Mamaroneck woman is charged with killing her son, whose father is a Briarcliff resident.

The mother accused of killing her 4-year-old son is set to appear in court for a second time this Thursday.

Manuela Morgado, a 46-year-old Village of Mamaroneck resident, was discovered in her condo on Monday, Oct. 1 with the lifeless body of her son, Jason "Jake" Reish. Morgado was in a semi-conscious state when authorities entered the building, police said.

In the whirlwind week that followed, Morgado was charged with second degree murder, a felony. Police said the boy was likely killed by asphyxiation.

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The boy's father, Dr. Timothy Reish, was no longer involved with Morgado, and living in Briarcliff Manor with Erin Taylor Reish, whom he married in 1996. Reish has two other children in the Briarcliff school district, and works as an orthopedic surgeon.

Timothy Reish was hesitant to speak with the press, instead issuing a release through his lawyers that called Jason Reish's death "unimaginable."

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Three days after the alleged murder, Morgado appeared in court for the first time, sobbing heavily. She was unshackled only briefly in order to sign documents that prevent her from contacting Timothy Reish and Erin Taylor Reish. Both claimed to have received threatening letters from Morgado.

Jason Reish's funeral was held Friday, Oct. 5 at Briarcliff Manor's Scarborough Presbyterian Church, a day after the Reish family held visiting hours at a village funeral home.

Morgado's Thursday court appearance is slated for 9:30 a.m.


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