NJ mom’s nightmare: Police released daughter’s stalker — and eventual killer — to his cop father

✅Mother of slain Cranford teen blames police “favoritism” for deadly e-bike crash

✅Attorney says police ignored stalking and “swatting” complaints about suspect

✅ Family questions why teen with law enforcement ties wasn’t investigated sooner

CRANFORD — The family of slain teenager Maria Niotis says they begged police for help but were ignored. Now, the family's attorney is revealing shocking new details that raise even more disturbing questions about how far the alleged favoritism and failures went before Maria and her best friend Isabella Solis were killed.

The family has said Maria had been stalked by the suspect for months. In one livestream video, the gamer — who appeared to be enamored with toxic influencer Andrew Tate — is seen ordering pizzas for cash on delivery to Maria's house and suggests it was in retaliation for her making fun of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's killing.

But the Niotis family attorney has now revealed that the suspect also was behind two SWATing incidents and that police allowed the teen's father to drive him away from the victim's home after the second SWAT hoax call.

Prosecutors say the teen eventually rammed his Jeep into Maria and Isabella’s e-bike at 70 mph, killing them both. He is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder, but his case is still being treated as a confidential juvenile matter because of his age.

FOLLOW THE CASE: What we know so far about the double Cranford homicide

Attorney: Police knew and still let him go

Attorney Brent Bramnick, who represents the Niotis family, told New Jersey 101.5 that Maria’s mother first went to police in March, after what he called “negative interactions and contacts” with the 17-year-old suspect with deep law enforcement family ties.

"They reach out to the police department, they give them information, they give formal statements to the police department, obviously worried about the types of behavior of this juvenile defendant," Bramnick said.

But instead of action, what followed were two separate SWAT incidents, including one in which the suspect's retired-cop father was allowed to pick him up from the scene outside the Niotis home.

Details of these calls are being reported by New Jersey 101.5 for the first time since the Sept. 29 homicides.

First SWAT call: ‘He’s Harassing Me’

In March, a fake 911 call brought police racing to the Niotis home, what Bramnick described as the first “swatting” incident.

Maria told her mother she believed the same boy who had been stalking her was behind the bogus call.

The family gave police everything they knew, expecting an investigation.

It’s still unclear if one ever happened.

Second SWAT call: Police see suspect and let his father take him home

The second call was worse.

One night, as the family was getting ready for bed, flashing lights filled their street again. When Maria’s mother, Foulla Niotis, stepped outside, she spotted the same car she says she’d seen before — the suspect’s car — parked on their street.

She pointed him out to police, telling officers that was the boy harassing her daughter.

Instead of an arrest, Bramnick said something else happened.

"They go to speak to him in his car. And then she sees that another vehicle pulls up on the scene and the police bring the juvenile defendant over to this vehicle," Bramnick said. "The police tell her that they're going to release this child, this juvenile defendant, to the father. The facts would lead you to believe the father was the one on the scene, and he was allowed to drive away from the scene."

‘Untouchable’: Family’s ties to police under fire

The teen’s uncle is Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro, who confirmed the family connection but said they are not immediate relatives.

Still, Maria’s mother and neighbors long suspected that the suspect’s law enforcement ties gave him protection.

In a tearful interview with Fox News, Maria's mother, Foulla Niotis, believes the suspect planned the death of her daughter because law enforcement in his family gave him the "freedom" and made him feel "untouchable."

Attorney launches independent investigation

Bramnick said he will be conducting his own investigation to get to the bottom of what happened. The former assistant prosecutor for the Union County Prosecutor's Office said his team will get the body camera footage from each of the responding officers, dash cams from police vehicles, Ring video and private surveillance video.

"We're investigating every possible avenue to be able to uncover the truth of what went on, as we would hope that certainly law enforcement is looking into what was in fact done," Bramnick said.

He says one of the biggest mysteries remains: Why?

Foulla says her daughter never dated the suspect or were friends.

‘I want justice for my girls’

Maria’s mother says she blames the system and the police who turned her away.

"They should have done a lot but they didn't do anything," Foulla said on Fox News. "I want justice for Maria and Isabella. That's what I want. I want justice for these two beautiful girls. My girls."

Teens remembered after Cranford homicide

A Union County community is still mourning the deaths of these two best friends.

They will remember the 17-year-olds at a memorial service on Wednesday evening.

The First Presbyterian Church of Cranford will have a 7 p.m. service in honor of Maria Niotis and Isabella Rose Salas. All faiths are welcome.

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