Another 2-year-old brutally murdered by a Jersey mom’s boyfriend, cops say

PENNSAUKEN — A 24-year-old Pennsauken man has been charged with murder in the beating death of his girlfriend's 2-year-old son, police said Monday.

Zachary Tricoche was arrested after police responded to a home on the 5900 block of Mansion Boulevard late Saturday after receiving a report that a child was unresponsive, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities say Pennsauken Police responded to the home at about 11:28 p.m. The child was taken by emergency medical personnel to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, where he was pronounced dead at 12:08 a.m. Sunday, police sad.

Following an investigation, Tricoche, the boyfriend of the baby's mother, was placed under arrest, according to the prosecutor's office. He has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held at the Camden County Jail.

Tricoche is scheduled for arraignment before Superior Court Judge Edward J. McBride Jr. on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in Camden County.

Police have not released the name of the child or the specific nature of his fatal injuries.

The child's death comes nearly two months after Michael Disporto, 22, of Manahawkin, was arrested and charged with the sexual assault and murder of 2-year-old baby Ariana of Gloucester City. Disporto is the boyfriend of Ariana's mother, Amber Bobo, 26, according to authorities.

Bobo, 26, was charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. Authorities say after Disporto raped the baby — causing injuries that led to her death — he repeatedly talked Bobo out of seeking medical help for fear they'd be blamed for the injuries.

The baby in that earlier case, Ariana Smyth, is seen below in images provided by other family members:

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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