Cops: Couple's split behind poisoning?

A bitter separation between a husband and wife may have led to a murder-suicide attempt that left a Queens man and his 2-year-old daughter critically injured Tuesday, police said.

The father, 45, and his daughter remained in critical condition in St. John's Episcopal Hospital, South Shore, in Far Rockaway, a day after they were found in respiratory distress in a car behind a Lawrence shopping mall. Police did not identify them but said both were apparently poisoned.

Police have been unable to interview the father, who is unconscious. The girl is improving and is in stable condition, said Nassau police spokesman Det. Lt. Kevin Smith.

Investigators believe the girl ingested ammonium chloride, a compound commonly found in fire extinguishers, from a bottle found in the car.

"It looks like he may have given the child this product to ingest and may have ingested it on his own," Smith said. Investigators determined that a white, powdery substance found in the vehicle was a pesticide containing naphthyl methylcarbamate, used in the product Sevin. The fast-acting poison can cause convulsions, seizures and respiratory distress, Smith said.

"Both chemicals were found sprinkled throughout the car," Smith said.

Smith said the father, who lives in Jamaica, and mother, who lives with the little girl in Brooklyn, had recently separated.

Although the father had unlimited visitation with the child, the investigation revealed "there may be a great deal of acrimony between the parties," Smith said during a news conference at police headquarters in Mineola.

It was not immediately clear whether there was a court-ordered or informal visitation agreement. The investigation is continuing, Smith said.

He said charges may be pending against the father.

Police said a passerby discovered the father and daughter in a Toyota Venza about 10 a.m. Monday behind a store in the mall on Central Avenue.

That passerby called Hatzolah Ambulance, whose crew called 911 when it saw the white powder in the vehicle.

Smith said police were dispatched at 10:40 a.m. and arrived at 10:43 a.m. Investigators believe the father and daughter ingested poison between 8:30 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., Smith said.

Hazmat, emergency service and crime scene units were called to investigate the "powdery substance," Smith said. Police, who impounded the car, said there was no threat to the community.

Mohammed Alam, a manager at Amazing Savings, said Monday he saw ambulances and police in the parking lot immediately behind his store.

"They blocked the whole section," he said.

The store remained open as usual, but he said customers asked all day about the police activity behind the store.

"Everyone wants to know what happened," he said.