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Father Of Slain 4-Year-Old Calls Son's Death 'Unimaginable'

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A Westchester County man says he'll never comprehend the killing of his 4-year-old, allegedly at the hands of the boy's mother.

Dr. Timothy Reish issued a statement through his lawyers Wednesday.

WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reports

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"The events which led to the untimely death of our beloved Jake are both incomprehensible and unimaginable," the statement said. "We will never be able to comprehend the heinous action of Jake's mother. We leave this matter in the capable hands of the authorities to secure justice for Jake and our family."

Reish's son was found dead Monday in his mother's condominium in Mamaroneck, police said. The mother, Manuela Maria Morgado, was said to be in a near catatonic state and semi-conscious.

She is due in court Thursday on a second-degree murder charge.

The cause of the boy's death has not been made public, but law enforcement sources told CBS 2 the child was suffocated and may have been given helium to breathe.

Several published reports said Morgado is believed to have asphyxiated her son before trying to commit suicide by overdosing on pills, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.

The boy's funeral will be held Friday in Briarcliff Manor where Reish lives, Diamond reported.

The parents, who were never married, were involved in a custody dispute over where to send Jake to preschool.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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