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NYPD investigating death of infant found unresponsive at Queens hotel shelter
By
Andrew Giambrone
and
Arya Sundaram
Published Jan 22, 2024
Modified Jan 22, 2024
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Roy Rochlin / Getty Images
By
Andrew Giambrone
and
Arya Sundaram
Published Jan 22, 2024
Modified Jan 22, 2024
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Police are investigating the death of a 3-month-old girl they say was found unconscious and unresponsive in Queens on Sunday.
Officers went to 40-34 Crescent St. in Long Island City after receiving a 911 call about the infant shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday, according to the NYPD.
Emergency medical services took the infant to Mount Sinai Queens Hospital in Astoria, where she was pronounced dead.
Police said the investigation was ongoing and the city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was determining the cause of death. OCME did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning.
The address is home to the Queens County Inn and Suites hotel, which is being used as an emergency shelter, according to a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Social Services. City Limits reported a few dozen migrant families were staying there last year, but the spokesperson said they could not confirm specifics about client cases under state law.
“Protecting the health and safety of our clients is our top priority, and non-profit provider staff responded immediately when this incident was reported to ensure appropriate medical supports,” she said in a statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to all who have been impacted, and we stand ready to provide the family with every support we can during this incredibly difficult time.”
Maybeli Fuentes, a cleaner working at the hotel, said the deceased girl was the child of Ecuadorian migrants who have two other children and have been living in the city for about a year.
"She never gave me any problems," Fuentes said, referring to the child's mother.
The hotel mostly serves as a shelter for New Yorkers, although some migrants also stay there, Fuentes added. She noted a Venezuelan man previously died by suicide at the hotel.
Queens Inn and Suites did not respond to calls and an email seeking comment, and staff on site declined to speak with a reporter Monday morning. In 2021, the hotel was ranked by a pest control company as having the “highest” risk of bedbugs among New York City hotels, receiving 36 complaints since 2004, according to Patch.
This story has been updated with new information.
Tagged
new york city
public safety
long island city
queens
child welfare
Andrew Giambrone
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Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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