Bronx Teen Charged With Manslaughter After Choking Mom's Ex-Boyfriend To Death

A New York City teen has been charged with manslaughter Monday after he allegedly choked and killed his mother’s ex-boyfriend after he witnessed the man physically abusing his mother at their Bronx residence, police said.

Louis Moux, 18, of the Bronx was arraigned on Tuesday on manslaughter charges in Bronx Criminal Court, as his lawyer argued that he did nothing wrong and was just trying to defend his mother.

"Some animal tried to hurt his mother and he did what any good young man would do," Walter Fields, his lawyer said after the brief court appearance. "This is the kind of kid that we’d all be proud to call our son."

Moux, who is a high school football player, was accused of fatally choking Stanley Washington, his mother Lorena Sesma’s former boyfriend at their residence on Monday, the New York Post reported. Though he has already been charged with manslaughter, police are still investigating the incident to determine if it was an act of self-defense.

"It’s not crystal clear," a police source told the New York Daily News. "It’s not cut and dry. There was a battle going on back and forth. It could be self-defense, but that hasn’t been decided yet."

The fight with Washington, 43, left Moux with bite marks on his forearm and knee. The 43-year-old ex-boyfriend was said to have shown up at the University Avenue apartment where Moux lives with his mother, around 4:30 a.m. EDT on Monday to talk to the mother, police said. Washington and Moux's mother were said to have been arguing in the hallway. Then he reportedly followed the woman into the apartment and began beating the 37-year-old, police claimed. Moux probably heard the struggle and rushed out of his bedroom to help. The teen is alleged to have fought with Washington, pulled the man off his mother, then put his hand around his neck and choked him to death.

Moux who is an offensive lineman on Grand Street Campus High School's football team was supported by his friends, family, relatives, teachers, teammates. He was held on a cash bail. Hours after the court hearing he was released, following which his mother hugged him and his family and friends shouted “God bless!” and said “Thank you, Jesus!

“He’s a school kid, a good student not involved with drugs or hanging out with bad people,” Angel Nives, a neighbor, told the New York Daily News. “He loves playing basketball and football with his friends over in the next building. When I heard the news, I didn’t expect it to be him, but he was right to defend his mother.”

Police disclosed new details on Tuesday about the incident, which also included a history of domestic assaults by Washington. Moux's mother had previously obtained a restraining order against Washington, relatives told the police, however it was unclear if he had served it.

"That man used to beat her constantly," the teen’s aunt, Angela Carrasquillo, said referring to Washington. "She always had bruises on her face. He even assaulted my mother before. He punched my mother in the back of the head."

After the incident, the teen's mother also confirmed to the police that there had been prior domestic violence incidents between her and Washington. In 2014, police had been called to the residence to break up a dispute. Sources said the ex-boyfriend assaulted Sesma and also hurt an older woman in 2016, according to the New York Daily News.