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4-year-old boy was in bed with mom when she was strangled, affidavit says

METHUEN, Mass. — New details are coming to light as police continue to search for a man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in Methuen, Massachusetts.

A newly released affidavit reveals Wanda Rosa, 29, was killed while her son watched.

The 4-year-old told police he was laying in bed with his mother when his father "went crazy."

A neighbor said she heard the boy yelling, "No dad, no dad!," around 3 a.m., but she didn't call the police because the noises stopped, the documents say.

Emilio DeLarosa, 32, is accused of strangling Rosa on Monday. Her body was discovered in her home around 5:45 a.m.

According to the court paperwork, the boy told police that his "Mommy is dead already" and that his "father went crazy and choked Mommy." Afterward, the child said his father covered up his mother's body with a purple blanket.

The child went on to say he was scared and then he cried. He said he was then taken to his grandmother's house because he couldn't stay by himself.

While being dropped off at his grandmother's house, the boy's aunt interacted with DeLarosa, her brother. According to the affadavit, DeLarosa said, "It's over. It's over. It's over," to his sister, Jesscenia DeLarosa, before leaving the boy.

Jesscenia DeLarosa went to the police station at 5:50 a.m. and asked for a well-being check of Rosa. She said DeLarosa "seemed off and something wasn't right," according to court documents.

Police found Rosa at her home with "purplish, red marks high on the victim's neck," according to Trooper Michael W. Murphy.

The child’s grandmothers later told police the child said, "My daddy shook my mommy," according to the affidavit. 

According to court paperwork, Rosa's son's account included facts of the case that police hadn't shared with the family or members of the general public. Therefore, police do not believed the child was coached in any way, Murphy said. 

Police say DeLarosa has a history of domestic violence.

Rosa filed a restraining order against Delarosa in 2011, claiming he threatened to kill her, the Boston Herald reported. In 2014, he was convicted on charges of kidnapping and assaulting her. He spent years in prison and was ordered to serve five years probation, the Eagle Tribune reported, noting that that probation included a court-issued restraining order. Rosa petitioned for the court to modify it to a "no-abuse" order, which allowed DeLarosa to interact with her and her son but to maintain the consequence of felony charges if he hurt her.

Police recently released new pictures of some distinctive tattoos on DeLarosa's body. One of them is the name "Wanda" on his bicep; another is a detailed cross on his back.

Police are asking for anyone who might have any information on DeLarosa's whereabouts to contact them immediately.