Infant dies at SoHo day care that official says may not have license

City officials were investigating the death of a 3-month-old boy who had been left at a SoHo day care center that a law enforcement official said Monday appears to be unlicensed.

The infant, identified by police as Karl Towndrow of Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights, was declared dead at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan after was brought there from 69 Greene St. Police said they responded to the location at about 12:13 p.m. in response to a report of child being unresponsive.

According to the law enforcement official, who didn't want to be identified, Karl had been taken to a second-floor apartment by his mother, who said she would return to feed the child from a bottle she left at the day care center.

Someone at the center then fed the infant and laid him down to rest, after which he was found unresponsive, the official said.

The city medical examiner was investigating the cause of death, according to police.

According to the law enforcement official, 14 children were being cared for at the center. Mary Strautmanis, who is listed in telephone directories as residing in the apartment, was unavailable for comment, said a man who answered the telephone and then hung up.

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.com

Anthony M. DeStefano has been a reporter for Newsday since 1986 and covers law enforcement, criminal justice and legal affairs from its New York City offices.