By Jeremy Walsh
Daniella Cosme Perez, who was left by cab driver Klever Sailema at a firehouse as part of a scheme by the baby's 27-year-old father, was transferred by the city's Administration for Children's Services to the Maryland Department of Human Resources last week.Daniella's mother, identified as Yelemer Cosme Perez, was separately transferred to the Maryland social services agency, officials said.Yelemer has family in Baltimore, a police source said.The Maryland agency declined to say whether the mother and daughter would be reunited.”Certainly having a child with its mother is a No. 1 priority for us,” said Elyn Jones, a spokeswoman for the agency. “We'll make an assessment and determine if it can be done safely.”Police continued to search for the father, Carlos Rodas, who went into hiding after abandoning his daughter.Sailema, 45, was hailed as a hero after telling police that a fare had bolted and left the infant in his cab. But his story unraveled when an anonymous tip led police to the Bronx apartment where they found the baby's mother and her aunt, 21-year-old Maria Siavichay, who is also Sailema's girlfriend.Siavichay and Sailema both face charges of criminal facilitation. If convicted, they could face up to a year in jail.Supporters of Sailema have spoken with Queens District Attorney Richard Brown about dropping the charges. Kevin Faga, Sailema's attorney, said he would not be surprised if Brown continued prosecuting the case, but he did not expect any activity on the case before his client's next appearance, on April 7.Daniella leaves a number of questions about state safe haven laws in her wake. State lawmakers are proposing changes to the law, which currently allows for the parent of a newborn to abandon the child at a hospital, firehouse or church up to five days after the birth without facing legal consequences.State Assemblyman Jose Peralta (D-Jackson Heights) announced last Thursday that he introduced a bill that would change the law to cover babies up to 3 months old.State Sen. Serphin Maltese (R-Glendale) also suggested a provision to the law that would give leniency to intermediary figures like Sailema who deliver abandoned babies to responsible caregivers.Reach reporter Jeremy Walsh by e-mail at jwalsh@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 154.
