On Friday, May 10, the Union Police Department responded to the 300 block of Greenbriar Drive for a welfare check and found Kerline Joseph Charles dead at the scene, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel and Union Police Director Christopher Donnelly said.
The Union County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be cardiac arrest following physical restraint and compressional asphyxia, authorities said.
An investigation led to the arrest of Kern Charles, 65 and his three sons, Jeremyh Joseph Charles, 27, Marvin Joseph Charles, 38, Kern Charles, 65, and Timothee Joseph Charles. Kern, Jeremyh, and Marvin are Union residents while Timothee is a resident of upstate New York, authorities said.
The four men are currently being held in the Essex County Jail pending a detention hearing, authorities said.
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