Who was Yasemin Uyar? NJ mom abducted with son, 2, found murdered in woods by boy's father
RAHWAY, NEW JERSEY: A young mother from New Jersey's Rahway, who was kidnapped with her toddler, has been found dead in the woods. The boy's father was arrested in Monterey, Tennessee where the two-year-old was found unhurt. Identified as Yasemin Uyar, the 24-year old mother went was reported missing on Friday, after her son failed to show up for daycare and she didn't turn up for a work shift. An Amber Alert had been issued for both before the boy's father, Tyler Rios, 27, was arrested and he confessed to cops where he hid Uyar's body.
News of this comes just a month after another shocking mother-son duo, Maggie and Paul Murdaugh's death where they were found shot and killed on their family estate. Paul had been charged with the murder of a friend in an accident a year ago but never faced jail time. Just a week ago, a Georgia taxi driver and mother of two was found dead. Identified as Rossana Delgado who went missing in April this year, eight suspects were arrested in her murder case. Another Massachusetts woman was found dead at 80, with her son charged with killing her and leaving her organs out as display on a welcome mat near the front door.
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Uyar's killer, Rios, was arrested early on Saturday according to acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay Ruotolo and Rahway Police Department Director Jonathan Parham, adding that he was awaiting extradition to New Jersey at the time. Uyar, who was described as a doting mother by her own mom Karen Uyar, was reportedly in an abusive relationship with the father of her son, Sebastian.
Speaking with NJ Advance Media on Saturday just before her daughter's body was found, Karen Uyar recalled the tumultuous, on again-off again relationship that Uyar and Rios had since high school. It was in the recent months that Rios's erratic and violent behavior escalated, she said. After Rios had alleged choked Uyar and slammed her head against the wall, she reportedly got a restraining order against him. The young mother also kept moving numerous times out of fear of her imminent murderer and right before she went missing, she was allegedly planning to move again.
Rios had been charged with aggravated assault and strangulation of a domestic violence victim and theft in 2018, reveal court records. According to a judgment of conviction signed in February 2020, he took a plea deal and was convicted of the domestic violence charge. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and three years probation with strict orders to not contact his victim, and also undergo anger management classes. Although Uyar is not identified as his victim in the documents, the timeline of the incidents aligns with her mother's account.
Friends of Uyar's who spoke to New York CBS Local about Uyar's restraining order against Rios, calling it a "Typical textbook case of domestic violence. Progressively got worse and this is where it’s ending." Uyar's mother Karen remembered her daughter, saying: “She’s just such a sweet person." Speaking with NBC New York later on Saturday, she confirmed Sebastian was “happy, he’s playing right now. He’s obviously confused, asking for mommy.”