Infant twins die after father leaves them in car for 8 hours, police say

One-year-old twins died Friday afternoon after their father left them in a car while he went to work for eight hours in the Bronx, police said.

Juan Rodriguez, 37, of New City, was arrested after police responded to a 911 call about the dead twin girl and boy, Mariza and Phoenix, an NYPD spokesman said.

According to police, Rodriguez drove with the twins, in the back seat of his Honda when Rodriguez drove to his job as a social worker in the Bronx. He parked the car when he arrived at work and left the children alone in the car. 

After Rodriguez finished his shift he returned to his car, drove two blocks before apparently remembering his children were in the Honda, police said. He stopped the car and jumped out yelling that his children were dead and a passerby called 911, according to the NYPD.

EMS responded and pronounced the twins dead at the scene, police said. Rodriguez was taken into custody at the scene at West Kingsbridge Road and Kingsbridge Terrace. The New York City Medical Examiner's office will determine the cause of death and the investigation is ongoing, the NYPD said.

Rodriguez was charged with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of criminally negligent homicide, according to police. 

By Anthony M. DeStefano

tony.destefano@newsday.comtonynewsday

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.