Manuela Maria Morgado, 48, pleads guilty to killing 4-year-old son Jason Reish

A 48-year-old Mamaroneck mother pleaded guilty today to suffocating her 4-year-old son. Manuela Maria Morgado confessed Thursday to killing Jason "Jake" Reish. Police were called to Morgado's East

News 12 Staff

Sep 19, 2014, 1:21 AM

Updated 3,779 days ago

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A 48-year-old Mamaroneck mother pleaded guilty today to suffocating her 4-year-old son.
Manuela Maria Morgado confessed Thursday to killing Jason "Jake" Reish.
Police were called to Morgado's East Boston Post Road condo in Mamaroneck on Oct. 1, 2012. Her 4-year-old son was found dead, with his arms and legs bound with tape. Morgado had given her son Benadryl, slipped a helium mask over his face and ultimately ended up choking and suffocating him.
According to court papers, Morgado told a psychologist that Jason fought her attempts to kill him and she told him she loved him while she smothered him.
After Jason took his last breath, Morgado tried to kill herself by taking pills, but lived.
At the time, Morgado was in a custody battle with the boy's father, Timothy Reish, an orthopedic surgeon who lives in Briarcliff Manor with his wife and family. Morgado was apparently losing the battle and told investigators "I decided that if I lose, I was going to lose with my son."
Morgado is scheduled to be sentenced in early December. She faces 25 years to life in prison.