Autopsy: Body of child found in Green Bay mother's vehicle is missing son

GREEN BAY -- The body of a child found inside a Brown County mother's vehicle is that of her son, Josias Marquez, autopsy results confirmed.

According to WLUK, Josias' mother, Sagal Hussein, 26, of Green Bay appeared in court Wednesday afternoon, April 15, where the judge granted the state two weeks to file a criminal complaint. She's been held on a $500,000 cash bond since a probable cause hearing was held on April 1.

No formal charges have been filed against Hussein in connection with her son's death. District Attorney David Lasee told WLUK his office should know what charge will be appropriate when a cause of death is determined.

WLUK reported the investigation into 5-year-old Josias' whereabouts began on Jan. 26 when a neighbor reported seeing Hussein's other two children outside, unsupervised. Since then, authorities said they've been trying to get Hussein to tell them where her third child is. Hussein had claimed the boy was with his father out of state, but officers were unable to confirm that.

Hussein's mother, Amal Ismal, told WLUK after court she isn't sure why Hussein tried saying the boy was with his father.

"Mom (Ismal) said dad wasn't caring," an interpreter said as he translated what Ismal was saying. "He left the kids with Sagal. He was in California. He wasn't a caring dad and he wasn't doing his part as a dad."

Officials said the boy had not been seen by anyone but Hussein since Nov. 25, 2019.

Due to her inaccuracies and lack of cooperation, Hussein was arrested on March 30, WLUK reported. A search warrant was issued for her residence and her vehicle.

On March 31, deputies said technicians at the State Crime Lab in Madison found a corpse inside Hussein’s vehicle. Autopsy results confirmed it was Josias.

Ismal told WLUK she was shocked when she heard the news.

"What I know is my daughter, Sagal, is that she was a loving mother, and she didn't kill her own son, and what I believe is, it was not her intention to hurt or kill her own child," Ismal told WLUK through an interpreter.

Ismal said Josias was born with medical conditions. She told WLUK he was blind and suffered severe seizures. She said her daughter's other two children are in foster care, and the family of the children's father is trying to bring the children to California. However, Ismal said it is her hope the children can stay in the Green Bay area.

Hussein returns to court April 29.