Philadelphia

Father Charged in Death of Boy Who Fell From Moving SEPTA Subway Last Year

Troy Devlin, 37, of Philadelphia, is charged with endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and reckless endangerment of another person.

What to Know

  • The father of a 7-year-old boy who died after falling from a moving subway car last year has been charged in connection to his son's death.
  • Troy Devlin, 37, of Philadelphia, is charged with endangering the welfare of children and other related offenses.
  • An arrest warrant was also issued for a man who was with Devlin's son on the night of his death. He later surrendered to police.

The father of a 7-year-old boy who was killed after falling between two moving SEPTA subway cars last year has been charged in connection to his death.

Troy Devlin, 37, of Philadelphia, is charged with endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and reckless endangerment of another person.

Devlin's 7-year-old son Aden Devlin was with his 11-year-old brother along with 26-year-old Jahras Edwards on a subway train on SEPTA's Broad Street Line back on Sept. 23, 2018.

The train was traveling between the Allegheny and Lehigh stations. Family members told Philly.com the three were selling candy on the train, something Aden had been doing for a year up to that point. The family members also said Aden had been selling candy at the 69th Street Transportation Center since the age of 4.

As Aden was walking, he slipped and fell between two train cars and landed on the tracks below.

The operator stopped the train at the Lehigh station after being notified of the incident and Aden was pronounced dead.

"His brother came back and was crying," a passenger, who did not want to be identified, told NBC10. "He grabbed my hand and nothing could be said."

SEPTA Police Chief Thomas Nestel called the death "a horrible, horrible thing."

"When you imagine a 7-year-old boy on our subway cars you picture him in a seat and riding to the next station with an adult and safely traveling on our system," Nestel said.

Both the NTSB and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office began investigating the incident. The DA's Office later determined Devlin and Edwards were using the two boys to earn money for them.

Devlin was arrested and charged on Aug. 24. He is being held on $200,000 bail. An arrest warrant was also issued for Edwards who surrendered to police.

Edwards is charged with murder, conspiracy, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and recklessly endangering another person.

Aiden Devlin _305830871

Aden Devlin. See larger photo.

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