Bones in suitcase identified

The worst fears of a missing Woodhaven mother’s family were realized last week when the city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner positively identified the bones found in a suitcase in Forest Park on March 4 as the remains of Reyna Isabel De Los Santos, 43.
The confirmation of her death provides bitter proof for the family’s long-held suspicions that De Los Santos was the victim of a homicide, contradicting an earlier report that she was a “voluntary” missing person who did not want to return home after arguing with her husband, Edwin Fuentes, 40, on June 19 last year.
“We grew tired of saying that my sister was not missing, and had not abandoned her family like some had suggested. We should have been heard,” said Marisol De Los Santos.
Police have not yet identified any suspects or determined the cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing, said a police source.
The investigation has also revealed allegations that Fuentes has a long history of physical abuse towards his wife and 18-year-old-son, Ariel Reyes, who suffers from autism and requires constant medical care.
A family spokesperson, Enrique Lugo, told The Queens Courier that De Los Santos’ 10-year-old daughter, Tahis, had witnessed her father punch her mother on the night of her disappearance. Another family member, Milagros Pantaleon, recalled seeing bruises on De Los Santos’ face in January 2005 and several instances of Fuentes slapping and threatening his wife.
After the disappearance of De Los Santos, family members also claim Fuentes had struck Ariel on several occasions, prompting them to petition - unsuccessfully - the Administration of Children’s Services (ACS) for custody of Ariel in August 2007.
Their concerns for Ariel’s safety were later proven to be warranted, as police arrested Fuentes on March 12 for striking Ariel on the head with a wooden stick. A teacher at Ariel’s school had recently noticed a large bump on the boy’s head and asked how he received his injury. When Ariel replied that his father had hit him, the teacher reported the incident to police.
Immediately after the arrest of Fuentes, family members renewed their appeal for custody of De Los Santos’ children, Ariel and Tahis. On March 17, they filed a petition in the city’s Family Court to grant custody to Marisol De Los Santos and Milagros Pantaleon.
City Councilmember Hiram Monserrate urged the Family Court “to take immediate and decisive action to ensure that the daughter of Reyna Isabel is safe and with the family of the deceased.”
Until ACS and the Family Court are able to determine the fate of the two children, an autism advocacy group, New York families for Autistic Children (NYFAC), has offered to help Ariel with case management and personal care services. The organization has also set up a special fund to help the De Los Santos family and interested individuals may contact Nicole Flores at 718-641-3441, Ext. 104, for more information.
Even as she feels she can now grieve for her sister, Marisol’s fears have not ended; she worries if other women in the neighborhood face the same threats of violence in their own homes. “Women, and Latinas in particular, have a very difficult time in making domestic violence complaints. Although this has happened to my sister, we must ensure that this never happens again,” said Marisol.