Harlem mother charged in 4-year-old son's death

NEW YORK -- A New York City woman was arrested and charged after her 4-year-old son's death.

Officers responded to the woman's home in Harlem over the weekend after she called 911 and reported her child was unresponsive.

The woman, identified as 26-year-old Nytavia Ragsdale, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and endangering the welfare of a child.

Boy's cause of death under investigation

Yellow police tape covered the front door to the apartment at 2484 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard on Monday, a day after the boy was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead.

The child was severely malnourished, hypothermic and had what appeared to be burn marks on his chest, according to police sources.

"The safety and well-being of New York City's children is our top priority. We are investigating this incident with the NYPD," the New York City Administration for Children's Services said.

"I would just suggest that people check in. Have some kind of check-in and find out who people are that they're living around. Check in on the children," said Iesha Sekou, founder and CEO of Street Corner Resources, Inc.

So far, the medical examiner's office has not issued a cause of death.

Neighbors say they never saw the boy

Some neighbors in the building told CBS News New York they didn't even know Ragsdale had a child.

"I would hear arguments and stuff, but I never knew children live over there," a next-door neighbor said.

The building super, who has worked there for eight months, said he went to the apartment once to repair a leak, but never saw the boy.

"This kid lost life and not many people knew or ever seen this kid. That's strange," Sekou said.

Erica Speed said Ragsdale told her she has four children.

"I seen her one time go and buy chicken and she would eat it out here before she go back. I'm like, 'Hold up, you got kids!' 'Oh I ain't gonna eat it up there because they gonna be begging for it.' Well, buy them chicken too! It was crazy," Speed said.

Officers did not enter the apartment when they were called Sunday night, and instead met Ragsdale and the child outside, sources said.

Officers executed a search warrant at the apartment Monday and no one was found inside.