Detectives are investigating the deaths of two infant twins found in the lobby of a Queens homeless shelter on Friday afternoon.
Law enforcement sources said the horrifying discovery was made at 3:42 p.m. on Jan. 10 inside of CAMBA The Landing, described as a temporary shelter for families, located at 94-00 Ditmars Blvd. in East Elmhurst.
Officers from the 115th Precinct, in responding to a call for assistance, found the baby girl and boy, both two months old, unconscious and unresponsive in the shelter lobby. Both children were said to be in cardiac arrest, according to a WABC-TV report.
Paramedics rushed the babies to NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, where they were both pronounced dead. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of their deaths.
Citing sources, WABC reported that the twins’ father told police he had laid the children down for a nap and left the room. When he returned, he found them unconscious and called for help.
Police have withheld the infants’ identities.
No charges have been filed at this time, and the investigation is ongoing.
CAMBA The Landing opened in 2015 at a former hotel located just a short distance from LaGuardia Airport. According to their website, The Landing serves 169 families, providing “ongoing case management, relocation to permanent housing, crisis intervention (emergency food, clothing, carfare and supportive services) for any family in need.”
“My heart breaks for the loss of these children, a boy and a girl who were just two-months old and had their entire lives ahead of them,” said City Councilman Francisco Moya. “This tragedy marks the second and third deaths tied to The Landing in just two months. With shelter should come safety but residents and neighbors of The Landing have concerns and deserve answers about what is happening inside the facility. That’s why I’m calling for a full investigation into the security practices at this shelter. Additionally, I want to know what CAMBA, which operates the shelter, is doing to keep residents and neighbors safe.”
