Paul Auster's son Daniel, 44, dies of OD days after arrest over baby daughter's murder
Famed novelist Paul Auster's son Daniel Auster died on Tuesday, April 26, of an accidental drug overdose, law enforcement sources have confirmed. Daniel, 44, was facing charges of manslaughter in connection with the death of his one-year-old daughter Ruby.
Daniel's drug overdose is believed to be accidental as the drugs still on him had the dose that was similar to what he would normally take, New York Post reported. Daniel was arrested for manslaughter in the death of his 10-month-old daughter Ruby in Park Slope, police confirmed on Saturday, April 16. Daniel Auster, 44, was taking care of Ruby on the afternoon of November 1 when paramedics responded to a 911 call from the Brooklyn house.
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The NYPD said first-responders rushed to the residence and found the baby unconscious and unresponsive. She was taken to Methodist Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. As per an autopsy, Ruby died of an overdose of fentanyl and heroin. Daniel had claimed that he fell asleep with Ruby sleeping on his chest, and woke up to find Ruby's 'lips blue and eyes stiff' and tried to save her using the opioid overdose treatment. He admitted that he tried to save her with Narcan before calling police. A prosecutor said that the baby had "ingested enough heroin and fentanyl to render an adult unconscious."
On Friday night, April 15, Daniel Auster was arrested and charged with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, police said. As of April 16, he was awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court. Over two decades ago, Daniel pleaded guilty to stealing $3,000 from drug dealer Andre “Angel” Melendez, who was later killed by his roommate, New York party promoter “Club Kid Killer” Michael Alig, in 1996.
Paul Auster, who wrote books such as 'The New York Trilogy', 'The Book of Illusions', and 'Moon Palace', first married writer Lydia Davis, Daniel's mother. The pair later divorced and Auster then married Minnesota-born novelist and essayist Siri Hustvedt. Siri Hustvedt is known for having written books like 'The Blindfold' and 'The Enchantment of Lily Dahl'. Her most renowned work is 2003’s 'What I Loved'.
Both Auster and Hustvedt have written fiction that were reportedly based on or were inspired by, their issues with Daniel. 'What I Loved' chronicled the troubled relationship between an artist and his drug-addict son, and the son’s stepmother. The story traces how the son, named 'Mark' in the book, goes from a sweet, innocent boy to a dangerous young man who frightens his stepmom and upsets his father. Auster also apparently wrote about a man based on Daniel in his 2004 novel named 'Oracle Night'. A writer named Trause narrates the story. Trause is reportedly an anagram of Auster, who has a son who is addicted to drugs and scares his stepmom.