Twin babies found dead in a hot car 'foaming at the mouth' after father 'forgets' them and goes to work in NYC
BRONX, NEW YORK: Police said two infants died a tragic death in the Bronx while their father who was at work allegedly didn't realize his children had been sitting in the car for hours. Their father told police he forgot they were there, went to work for the day, and found them hours later.
The father of the 1-year-old babies, 39-year-old Juan Rodriguez, has since been taken into custody as authorities investigated the incident that claimed their lives. The infants were identified by police as Mariza and Phoenix Rodriguez of Rockland county, New York.
A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department informed that the tragedy unfolded in the Bronx just after 4 pm. “On July 26, 2019, at 1608 hours police responded to a report of an aided male inside of a vehicle at West Kingsbridge Road and Kingsbridge Terrace, within the confines of the 50 Precinct,” the spokesperson said.
“Upon arrival officers discovered a 1-year-old female and a 1-year-old male unconscious and unresponsive seated in the rear of a Honda sedan,” the spokesperson continued. “EMS responded and pronounced them both deceased at the scene.”
The Medical Examiner's office is working to determine the cause of the death while the investigation is ongoing, informed the spokesperson.
According to reports, the father dropped one of his children, a 3-year-old, at a home in Westchester, then drove to work at the VA Medical Centre in the Bronx around 8 am. He told the police that he forgot the children were in their rear-facing car seats when he parked.
In the afternoon, after finishing his 8-hour-long shift, he said he went back into his car and started to drive away. According to the police, he drove for two blocks before discovering that the children were in the backseat "foaming at the mouth". He then called 911.
Police say he pulled over and screamed for help. The father has been taken into custody and was charged with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of criminally negligent homicide. The incident is being investigated as an accidental hot car death.
"This is a horrific situation. It is early in the investigative process; we will release more information as it becomes available," NYPD spokesperson said.
