The 14-year-old boy, identified as Caeb Rios, was discovered behind the city-run Mitchell Houses located at 300 E. 138th Street in Mott Haven just before 9:30 a.m.
When police arrived, they found the victim stabbed twice in the chest.
Paramedics rushed the teen to Lincoln Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
It is unclear when he was killed, and police are going through surveillance to figure out what happened.
Police say there were no witnesses, no obvious motive and have made no arrests.
The victim lived in the complex, in a building at Alexander Avenue.
Detectives are eyeing gang activity or a physical fight as leading to his death.
An active investigation now underway.
Rios is the third minor to have been killed in 2025.
On Friday, January 3, 17-year-old Carlos Rivas was stabbed to death in East Harlem.
On that same day, in the Bronx, 17-year-old Andrew Mora was shot and killed along Macombs Road.
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