Son charged with murdering his mother in her Maplewood condo

MAPLEWOOD — A man is charged with killing his mother after she was found dying in her home on Monday afternoon.

Benjamin Avrut, 35, was arrested and charged with the murder of 70-year-old Gwen Avrut, who was found unresponsive and with serious injuries before 1 p.m. in her home at The Top condominiums on South Orange Avenue, according to acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II.

Prosecutor's spokeswoman Katherine Carter said there was evidence that Avrut had been assaulted. Authorities did not say whether they knew of a possible motive.

The exact cause and manner of death has not yet been determined by the Regional Medical Examiner's Office.

Avrut was pronounced dead at 1:40 p.m.

Carter said Avrut occasionally lived with this mother.

Stephens asked anyone with information about this incident to call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office tips line at 877-TIPS-4EC or 877-847-7432.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ