3-year-old boy killed in New York homeless shelter

A 3-year-old boy died after being discovered with bruises all over his body and a collapsed lung at a Queens homeless shelter – and his father was charged with murder in connection with the case on Wednesday, police said.

Little Shaquan Butler was found unconscious at the emergency shelter at 79-00 Queens Boulevard around 7:40 p.m. Sunday, according to police. He was taken to NYC Health & Hospital/Elmhurst by paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.

His 26-year-old father, also known as Shaquan Butler, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with murder and manslaughter, police said.

The boy’s 21-year-old mother reportedly told police he fell and hit his head on the kitchen floor after choking on a chicken nugget.

But the coroner determined that Shaquan sustained blunt force trauma to his upper body, and his death was ruled a manslaughter.

Medics concluded that the bruises on the boy’s body were in various stages of healing and allegedly indicated abuse, ABC 7 New York reported. He also had a collapsed lung at the time of his death.

Detectives interviewed Shaquan’s mother and father. His mother was not charged.

Two other children were taken from their parents’ care by the Child Protection Agency.

The shelter where the boy lived with his family is located in the former Pan Am Hotel and is run by the non-profit Samaritan Daytop Village.