Saturday, January 3, 2015

Battered infant dies after cops find him unconscious in East Harlem apartment

Battered infant dies after cops find him unconscious in East Harlem apartment 

The baby, identified as Deion McNeil, was just 23 days old when he died Friday, police and family members said. NYPD Special Victims detectives were questioning the baby's mother, 31-year-old Ebony McNeil, who was with Deion and her two other children in her Second Ave. apartment when cops were called at 7:30 p.m. Friday, sources said.

 
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
 
Saturday, January 3, 2015, 1:52 AM
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Deion McNeil, just 23 days old, died Friday after he was found battered and unconscious in an apartment in East Harlem, authorities said. The infant is pictured shortly after his birth last month.LARRY MCPHAIL VIA FACEBOOKDeion McNeil, just 23 days old, died Friday after he was found battered and unconscious in an apartment in East Harlem, authorities said. The infant is pictured shortly after his birth last month.
A 3-week-old boy died Friday after he was found battered and unconscious in his mother’s East Harlem apartment, authorities said.
The baby, identified as Deion McNeil, was just 23 days old, police and family members said.
NYPD Special Victims detectives were still questioning the tot’s mother, Ebony McNeil, early Saturday. The 31-year-old mom was with Deion and her two other children in her Second Ave. apartment when cops were called at 7:30 p.m. Friday, sources said.
Officers arrived at the home — part of the Washington Houses — to find little Deion in his 6-year-old brother’s arms, the sources said. The infant was bleeding from his head, the sources said.
A resident expresses disbelief in the lobby of the building Friday night.SAM COSTANZA FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSEnlarge
The family live at the George Washington Houses.SAM COSTANZA FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSEnlarge
A resident expresses disbelief in the lobby of the building, part of the George Washington Houses.
Police officers are seen outside an East Harlem apartment on Second Ave., where the baby boy was found unconscious by cops. SAM COSTANZA FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSPolice officers are seen outside an East Harlem apartment on Second Ave., where the baby boy was found unconscious by cops. 
“Just to hear about this is traumatic,” said stunned family friend Harry Martinez, 42, when told of the boy’s death. “I can’t believe it.”
Deion was rushed to Metropolitan North Hospital, but doctors could not save him. He died 45 minutes later, officials said.
“We don’t know what happened,” McNeil’s mother, Octavia McNeil, told the Daily News at the 23rd Precinct stationhouse after she and her husband, Larry McPhail, talked with detectives. “It’s crazy.”
“I’m devastated, man,” said McPhail, who said he was out when Deion was injured. “The baby was only 23 days old. (Ebony) was a decent enough mother, but we were raising them.”
The grandparents, Deion’s older brother and 1-year-old sister later left the stationhouse. Deion’s father also was interviewed at the stationhouse and left.
McNeil remained at the precinct. No charges had been filed early Saturday.
Martinez said the grandparents were always watching McNeil’s kids.

The boy's mother, 31-year-old Ebony McNeil, was with Deion and her two other children in her Second Ave. apartment when cops were called at 7:30 p.m. Friday, sources said.SAM COSTANZA/FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSThe boy's mother, 31-year-old Ebony McNeil, was with Deion and her two other children in her Second Ave. apartment when cops were called at 7:30 p.m. Friday, sources said.
“They’re a beautiful family ... I just can’t imagine this,” he said. “If there was one thing, (Ebony) was always laid back.”
Resident Ojany Vegazo, 15, saw detectives removed McNeil and a man — believed to be Deion’s father — from the apartment building Friday evening.
“She was behind him, holding her head down,” the teen said.
An autopsy was pending, officials said.
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