Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Mr. Jefferey Daniels, 36, of Dumont, NJ, on charges of Murder, Possession Of A Weapon For An Unlawful Purpose, and Endangering The Welfare Of A Child.
Officials say at approximately 12:20 a.m. on June 16, the Dumont Police Department received a 911 call in reference to a welfare check at the residence of Michelle Burns of 310 Knickerbocker Road in Dumont.
According to police, the 911 caller reported that she observed the victim’s child wandering through the courtyard of 310 Knickerbocker Road shortly after midnight.
Upon their arrival, police officers located the child in the courtyard.
Officials say officers spoke to an individual who advised them that she had been attempting to call Michelle Burns on her cell phone, but that Ms. Burns was not answering.
She also reported that she heard arguing coming from inside Ms. Burns’ apartment, where she resided with her boyfriend, earlier in the evening.
The individual also advised the officers that Daniels knocked on her door while carrying two small children and had asked for a ride.
Officers entered Ms. Burns’ apartment to conduct a welfare check and found her deceased.
She had been stabbed in the neck with a kitchen knife.
The Dumont Police Department then notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Bergen County Sheriff’s Department Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Shortly thereafter, the Closter Police Department notified the Dumont Police Department that Daniels had been located in Closter where he was attempting to knock on the front door of a residence. Both children were with Daniels and unharmed according to police.
They were transported via ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center for observation.