Teen found dead near spot where Doordash driver was shot & killed

PASSAIC — A young boy was found dead in a yard near the spot a woman making a DoorDash delivery driver was fatally shot on Friday night. But so far there is no indication of a connection between the two cases, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office.

UPDATE: An initial version of this post did not yet have any comment on the case from the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. The office has since said the cases initially appear unrelated.

Petra Rhoden, 43, of Passaic was found Friday night around 10:30 p.m. in the driver’s seat of her vehicle, which had just crashed through a fence and struck a shed, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes. Rhoden had been making a delivery to 259 Harrison St., authorities said.

In the case of the teen's death, Valdes said the body of a 13-year-old was found in a yard at 133 Harrison St. An autopsy will determine a manner and cause of death.

"At this time there is no evidence linking the two homicides together, and the investigations so far suggest they are completely unrelated incidents," spokesman Jason Statuto told New Jersey 101.5 in an email.

Authorities have not released the name of the teen or disclosed other identifying details.

The deaths prompted Mayor Andre Sayegh to ask the community to report any information about both incidents to the prosecutor's office or police.

"Paterson this is a time to unite. And please keep these families in your prayers," Sayegh said in video on his Facebook page.

Council president Maritza Davilla told NJ.com she called an emergency executive session to discuss a plan to deal with violence in the city.

The neighborhood where both deaths happened, is also considered the home turf of the 230 Boys gang, according to the US Attorney General's New Jersey office, a detail also noted by the Paterson Press. The AG's office discussed the territory when it announced 17 alleged gang members were charged with federal drug trafficking offenses on Thursday.

Authorities have not discussed any potential connection to gang activity.

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

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