GUILTY NY - Phoenix & Luna Rodriguez, 1, twins, die in hot car, Bronx, 26 July 2019 *No jail*

[gitana1]

We will see for sure if this case goes to trial if odor is a factor.

My guess is that the inside of the car had to smell pretty bad with those two kids locked inside for eight hours. JMO

I would agree.

 

[TennesseeGal]

Okay there was a ton of evidence in the Cooper Harris case showing that Ross was guilty.

Instead of making every post on this thread about that case lets look at this one.

Driving for any distance with a strong smell in the car is strange to me. Why did Rodriguez not notice the children immediately upon opening the door?

Was he under some kind of stress that caused this unusual action? You would think he would look in the back of the car to find the source of the bad smell right?

There's got to be more to this case. JMO

Where is this coming from? Everything I've read says he noticed the twins as soon as he returned to his car from work: Dad pleads not guilty at emotional court appearance after twins die in hot car

"Rodriguez told police he forgot his 1-year-old twins were strapped into their rear-facing car seats when he arrived for work at 8 a.m.When he returned to his car eight hours later to drive home, he "observed Luna and Phoenix in the above reference vehicle, strapped into their car seats, not moving, not breathing and both children appeared lifeless," according to court documents."

Is there information stating he drove before noticing the children?

Thank you.

 

[RANCH]

Where is this coming from? Everything I've read says he noticed the twins as soon as he returned to his car from work: Dad pleads not guilty at emotional court appearance after twins die in hot car

"Rodriguez told police he forgot his 1-year-old twins were strapped into their rear-facing car seats when he arrived for work at 8 a.m.When he returned to his car eight hours later to drive home, he "observed Luna and Phoenix in the above reference vehicle, strapped into their car seats, not moving, not breathing and both children appeared lifeless," according to court documents."

Is there information stating he drove before noticing the children?

Thank you.

I'm sorry for not linking that fact in my post.

Police said that he told them that he went back into his car in the afternoon and started to drive away. He drove for two blocks before discovering the children in the back seat "foaming at the mouth" and called 911.

Father charged with homicide after twin infants die in hot car while he was at work

 

[Inthedetails]

Is there information stating he drove before noticing the children?

Thank you.

Snipped

From the NY Times, bbm

"Hours later, Mr. Rodriguez left his job, got in the car and drove a short distance before realizing they were inside, the police said. He jumped out and screamed....

The car came to a stop at Kingsbridge Terrace and West Kingsbridge Road in the University Heights section of the Bronx."

Twin Infants Found Dead in Car in Bronx After Father Left Them, Police Say

Where he stopped the car is very close to the hospital, but he had driven out of the parking lot and down the street by the time he pulled over.

 

[RANCH]

If Rodriguez didn't smell anything that caused concern, what did make him decide to pull over after driving out of the hospital parking lot and end up two blocks away?

 

[PayrollNerd]

If Rodriguez didn't smell anything that caused concern, what did make him decide to pull over after driving out of the hospital parking lot and end up two blocks away?

I bet he had to turn his head around just enough to see traffic, and that’s when he realized the babies were in their car seats. If he’s used to a houseful of kids & dirty diaper smell combined with being tired, it may have taken 2 blocks for the odor to register.

 

[RANCH]

I bet he had to turn his head around just enough to see traffic, and that’s when he realized the babies were in their car seats. If he’s used to a houseful of kids & dirty diaper smell combined with being tired, it may have taken 2 blocks for the odor to register.

That would be as he was leaving the parking lot.

Why drive two blocks further?

 

[Timekeeper65]

Why is this so prevalent since the early 1990s when we never heard of such a thing prior to this time- if it happened it was rare---

Law requires rear facing car seat to be placed in the back seat due to air bag deployment in case of car accident. The air bag ON option can be turned off. It seems to me this has become more prevalent since the child car seats were moved to the back seat.

 

[Timekeeper65]

Has this happened to anyone you know and love? Valid questions but believe me the answers are quite simple here. Accidentally forgetting a child in the back seat happens to intelligent and loving parents.

Ever drive down a road, made a turn left or right, gotten home, and said to yourself “I don’t even remember making that turn”? I do it all the time. It’s a routine imprinted into my brain. The parent who this happens to will most likely have had a change in schedule.

Cars Are Starting To Remind Us Not To Leave Baby In The Back Seat

 

[RANCH]

Car seats mandatory moved to the back seat.

So rear facing car seats placed behind the drivers seat where they are difficult to see is the cause of the memory loss that parents have when transporting their very young children.

I say that because that seems to be the most common factor in these hot car child deaths. The parent forgot that the child was in the car.

Is it true that people must have visual stimuli in order to remember important duty's that affect someones life or death?

Does that mean blind people shouldn't be able to raise infants or toddlers because they can't see what's happening?

Something is wrong when it's acceptable to say that rear facing car seats cause hot car deaths when the real blame is on the person who for some reason left a child in a hot car to die. JMO

 

[Timekeeper65]

So rear facing car seats placed behind the drivers seat where they are difficult to see is the cause of the memory loss that parents have when transporting their very young children.

I say that because that seems to be the most common factor in these hot car child deaths. The parent forgot that the child was in the car.

Is it true that people must have visual stimuli in order to remember important duty's that affect someones life or death?

Does that mean blind people shouldn't be able to raise infants or toddlers because they can't see what's happening?

Something is wrong when it's acceptable to say that rear facing car seats cause hot car deaths when the real blame is on the person who for some reason left a child in a hot car to die. JMO

I changed my comment above. I never said it was acceptable to say rear facing car seats cause hot car deaths.

WOW. I hope this never happens to you or someone you love. Say it can’t happen? No one in my family believed it could either. But it did. My advice? Read up on this subject and educate yourself.

 

[RANCH]

I changed my comment above. I never said it was acceptable to say rear facing car seats cause hot car deaths.

WOW. I hope this never happens to you or someone you love. Say it can’t happen? No one in my family believed it could either. But it did. My advice? Read up on this subject and educate yourself.

Please don't make things personal.

My opinion stands. The links about how technology can help is great but it doesn't change what I feel is the main problem.

That is people need to take the responsibility of caring for a child more seriously.

If normal everyday life causes the kind of distractions that lead to the deaths of two innocent children then those people need to be punished by society so that it's clear to all that it's not acceptable. JMO

 

[Timekeeper65]

Please don't make things personal.

My opinion stands. The links about how technology can help is great but it doesn't change what I feel is the main problem.

That is people need to take the responsibility of caring for a child more seriously.

If normal everyday life causes the kind of distractions that lead to the deaths of two innocent children then those people need to be punished by society so that it's clear to all that it's not acceptable. JMO

I’m sorry @RANCH. This subject is near and dear to my heart. I too used to wonder how the heck this could happen. I too was critical of parents who were forgetful. Again, the main reason this happens is a change in schedule. Add to that stress and sleep deprivation.

When a baby dies in a loving family...the person responsible not only suffers tremendous amount of grief but also tremendous amount of guilt. Ripple effect. Spouse, grandparents, other children, aunts, uncles, cousins, on and on it goes. Never ending suffering and pain. I am very sympathetic to anyone who suffers this tragedy.

 

[mickey2942]

Please don't make things personal.

My opinion stands. The links about how technology can help is great but it doesn't change what I feel is the main problem.

That is people need to take the responsibility of caring for a child more seriously.

If normal everyday life causes the kind of distractions that lead to the deaths of two innocent children then those people need to be punished by society so that it's clear to all that it's not acceptable. JMO

Agreed. I read somewhere that people should give their cell phone to their baby. Like, no one would ever forget their cell phone in the backseat of the car.

"Hmm, where is my cellphone? I guess that I will check the backseat...Whoops! There is my kid!".

 

[RANCH]

I’m sorry @RANCH. This subject is near and dear to my heart. I too used to wonder how the heck this could happen. I too was critical of parents who were forgetful. Again, the main reason this happens is a change in schedule. Add to that stress and sleep deprivation.

When a baby dies in a loving family...the person responsible not only suffers tremendous amount of grief but also tremendous amount of guilt. Ripple effect. Spouse, grandparents, other children, aunts, uncles, cousins, on and on it goes. Never ending suffering and pain. I am very sympathetic to anyone who suffers this tragedy.

I apologize if any of my posts offended you.

The last thing I want to do is cause any kind of pain towards you.

 

[RANCH]

Agreed. I read somewhere that people should give their cell phone to their baby. Like, no one would ever forget their cell phone in the backseat of the car.

"Hmm, where is my cellphone? I guess that I will check the backseat...Whoops! There is my kid!".

I've heard the cell phone idea myself.

It's a shame that the idea people value their phone more than their own child is real.

Things need to change where a child's welfare is more important than a smartphone. JMO

 

[Rosegold68]

How far away was daycare?

He would have arrived much earlier for work, would that not cause you to remember the fact you had forgotten something? That extra chunk of time?

 

[wary]

Agreed. I read somewhere that people should give their cell phone to their baby. Like, no one would ever forget their cell phone in the backseat of the car.

"Hmm, where is my cellphone? I guess that I will check the backseat...Whoops! There is my kid!".

Right—the advice is to put something important to you in the back seat, purse, briefcase, cell phone. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Of course, one issue is one’s habits. A woman can have nearly a lifetime of carrying around a purse, a habit that’s ingrained more than the months she’s taken care of a baby.

 

[RANCH]

Right—the advice is to put something important to you in the back seat, purse, briefcase, cell phone. Is there something wrong with this picture?

Of course, one issue is one’s habits. A woman can have nearly a lifetime of carrying around a purse, a habit that’s ingrained more than the months she’s taken care of a baby.

If a person needs to put something important in the back seat to remind themselves that they are in charge of the very survival of an innocent human life, how does this same person know when to feed or bathe the child?

Do they have to leave notes around the house reminding themselves of the basic responsibilities parents have to ensure the child lives?

 

[MsFacetious]

Has this happened to anyone you know and love? Valid questions but believe me the answers are quite simple here. Accidentally forgetting a child in the back seat happens to intelligent and loving parents.

Ever drive down a road, made a turn left or right, gotten home, and said to yourself “I don’t even remember making that turn”? I do it all the time. It’s a routine imprinted into my brain. The parent who this happens to will most likely have had a change in schedule.

Cars Are Starting To Remind Us Not To Leave Baby In The Back Seat

I am 100% with you on this. I'm so sorry that you've had to experience this in your family. You are correct, this CAN happen to anyone. I didn't realize that Luna and Phoenix had their very own thread. So I'm bringing my post from the Hot Car deaths thread over here.

https://nypost.com/2019/07/27/dad-w...social-worker-described-as-an-amazing-father/

Watch this video. Watching this made me cry. This case is absolutely heart wrenching.

Mother Of Twins Who Died In Hot Car Issues Statement Offering Support For Accused Husband

I do not understand how anyone could look at him and say he did this on purpose or should go to prison. Nothing you can do to him is worse than the hell he will already be experiencing.

YES, I KNOW what his babies experienced. He does too, he will know that every second of every day for the rest of his life. This man is devastated. I will be extremely surprised if he does not commit suicide. This reminds me of Gage's death and Paul's resulting suicide.

This is a very long but very good article about Gage and Paul. The circumstances are different, yes. However the legal debate and heartbreak is very much the same. This goes into great detail about the decision of whether or not to file charges, what charges to file, what sentence to request and what the judge felt he had to do. It's very relevant I think to the charges in this case.

A Father's Pain, a Judge's Duty, and a Justice Beyond Their Reach

As far as simply believing you have dropped off your child and being mistaken... or believing your spouse has them...

THIS
CAN
HAPPEN
TO
ANYONE

https://www.kidsandcars.org/2016/07...-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime-2/

I realize it is easier for people to say "It's MY CHILD I would NEVER FORGET MY CHILD." That's great if it helps you to sleep at night.

However, I have accepted that all it takes is the perfect storm. Some of the most attentive, cautious, protective parents I've ever met, have nearly made this mistake! Even stay at home parents, who always take their children with them.

A change in routine, not enough sleep, being sick, a death in the family, another traumatic event.... the list goes on and on. Any of these things can be just enough of a change in your routine. Just like when you do something but don't remember doing it, like part of your drive home for example.

I have now made it a habit to open my back door every time I get out of the vehicle. 80% of the time I have my little guy with me and 100% of the time he's reminding me he's there! However, I've just made it a habit just in case. I am not better than any other parents out there, my situation just makes me less likely to be in a situation this will happen in because I stay at home.

People believing it can never happen to them, is exactly why it keeps happening. Actual solutions in honor of these babies are the answer. There are so many great ideas.

There are already airbags that shut off automatically if less than a certain weight is placed in the passenger seat. An alarm that goes off if the vehicle is turned off and locked, while weight is still in the child's car seat would be amazing. However it cannot be cost prohibitive or it won't do any good.

There are safe mirrors you can attach to the headrest in the back so you can see your baby from the front. Daycare's ALWAYS calling if a baby doesn't show up especially from May-September could save lives. Parents checking in with the other parent... there are just so many options. We need to start educating parents about those options just like we do shaken baby syndrome.

Okay, off my soap box. This is a particularly devastating one to me. I hope this case is handled with compassion like the one I linked above.