For the second time in nine months, a Bronx family were once again planning a funeral after a one-year-old baby girl died after she was removed by emergency services, along with her parents, from the family’s car in Syracuse, New York, having been found unresponsive, possibly from carbon monoxide poisoning.

 

Last month, on Sept. 25, according to Joshua Rolon, 36, brother to the late Angel “Pookie” Cuasant, 26, a longtime Norwood resident, he, Rolon’s girlfriend, Delilah Rodriguez, 39, and the couple’s one-year-old daughter, Delilah Annabelle, were evicted from their Syracuse home in Upstate New York.

 

According to Cuasant and Rolon’s mom, Rolon left The Bronx three years ago to work with Rolon’s half-brother, Hector Santos, in Syracuse, making ceramic tiles and countertops. On Wednesday, Sept. 27, Rolon’s young family was discovered unconscious inside their family car in the Eastwood section of the city.

 

According to the Syracuse Police Department (SPD), police and fire units were called to 117 Edtim Road in Syracuse at 9.04 a.m. for a report of “unconscious persons inside of a vehicle.” SPD said all three were transported to local hospitals. According to a Sept. 27 report by localsyr.com, officials were examining the young family’s nearly 20-year-old vehicle and an autopsy will determine the infant’s exact cause of death.

 

Bill Fitzpatrick, Onondaga County District Attorney, was quoted as saying, “Our preliminary forensic examination of the vehicle shows there was a problem with the catalytic converter, and that someone, we don’t know who, possibly the father but we don’t know for certain, made some attempts to seal that to prevent gasses from escaping.”

 

A spokesperson for the SPD said of the incident, “Despite resuscitation efforts, the female toddler was pronounced dead at University Hospital.” Both the SPD and Rolon’s mom said he and his partner were initially reported to be in serious condition but said both have since recovered and have been released from the hospital.

 

As previously reported, on Dec. 18, 2022, Cuasant, Rolon’s brother, died in a hail of gunfire inside a Fordham Manor bodega located at East 194th Street and Briggs Avenue. On April 5, police arrested Andres Latorre, 37, who was charged in connection with Cuasant’s murder. Norwood News asked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office how Latorre has pleaded in connection with his legal case, which is ongoing. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

Cuasant, Santos, and Rolon’s mother spoke to Norwood News on Saturday, Sept. 30, from Syracuse on condition of anonymity due to the violent nature of Cuasant’s death. Of the ongoing court case involving the latter’s murder, she said she missed a recent court date in The Bronx as she had been in Syracuse at the time.

She said she understands the Bronx DA’s office is attempting to strike a plea deal with Latorre. According to justice.gov, when the prosecution has a strong case, they may offer the defendant a plea deal to avoid a trial [which can be both lengthy and traumatic for the victim’s family to go through] and perhaps reduce the defendant’s exposure to a more lengthy sentence.

 

A defendant may only plead guilty if they have committed the crime and admit to doing so in open court before the presiding judge. When they do, they also agree that they may be “sentenced” by the presiding judge, the only person authorized to impose a sentence.

 

As we reported at the time, during a prior court date in connection with Cuasant’s killing, tensions reportedly escalated between Cuasant’s family and Latorre’s family. Cuasant’s mom alleged this resulted in some attendees being ejected from the courtroom. Norwood News followed up with court administration officials for comment on the alleged incident at the time. We did not receive an immediate response.

 

Of the latest tragedy to hit her family, and of Rolon, his mom said, “He and Pookie were like twins… Ever since Pookie was killed, Joshua lost it completely.” The mom continued, “He had a house. He had a car. He had a job. He had a baby. He had everything that he could think of, everything, and he started going backwards, regressing… until he lost everything.”

 

The mom added, “They were evicted on Monday, but he never called me. He said he tried going to a shelter and because he didn’t have the right paperwork, they said he had to wait for a three-day notice; they rejected him with the baby.”

 

That allegation was immediately disputed by Justin Sayles from the Office of the Onondaga County Executive, which provides external support to residents, communities, and businesses of Onondaga County and, among other functions, educates, informs, and advises those who administer county services and those who receive them.

 

“That is not true,” Sayles told Norwood News on Thursday, Oct. 5. “We heard that as well, and we actually went back and the shelter reviewed the footage for the entire timeframe. They never showed up,” he said, referring to the young, displaced family. Sayles continued, “We heard that from, I believe, the brother as well, and we were obviously very upset to have heard that. They reviewed the camera footage for the entire time, and they didn’t show up.”

 

He added, “They reached out, I believe, at around 1 a.m. that morning to call to say they were evicted and had no place to go, which is why they were immediately set up with a hotel room. We’re still unsure as to why they didn’t show up, but they did not show up to the shelter that was arranged for them.”

 

Addressing the recent homeless explosion in Syracuse, Sayles said, “For some reason, recently there’s chatter in our community that the shelters are full. Well, it doesn’t mean we don’t have other housing options for folks.”

 

On Oct. 7, Norwood News informed Rolon’s mom of Sayles’ response. However, having also spoken with Rolon and Rodriguez, she alleges what they told her is what happened. “I’ve seen the papers,” she said. “The cops gave me the papers. They went to the shelter over there, and the shelter told them, ‘We don’t have space. If you come back tomorrow, we will take you’.”

 

She alleged this happened before the trio were later found unresponsive in their vehicle. Norwood News asked to see copies of the papers. As of press date, we had not received them.

 

We also attempted to reach Rolon’s landlady for comment. In a Sept. 30 media report by Syracuse.com, Serafina Pascarella who, we understand, represents Pascarella Development & Management, is quoted as saying in response to the tragedy, “It’s breaking my heart. I don’t know what to say.”

 

The outlet reported that Pascarella said Rolon had been living at 317 Elm Street in Syracuse since 2020, but hadn’t been paying rent since January 2023. It was reported that Pascarella knew Rolon had a baby girl and wanted to help the family stay in the apartment, so she kept trying to work with him to pay what he could, but he didn’t make any payments and told her he didn’t have a job.

 

It was reported that Pascarella eventually told Rolon she was going to evict him and explained to him how to go to the county’s department of social services to get emergency housing help, and that at eviction court, she stayed with him afterwards to show him which parts of the paperwork to take to DSS.

Pascarella reportedly said that if, at any point, Rolon had asked her for more time, if he had told her he was planning to live in his car with his family, she would have helped, but that during their last conversation before the incident, Rolon told her not to worry and that they were going to a shelter. She reportedly said she told Rolon she was sorry as he moved the last of his belongings into the family’s car.

 

Of the baby girl’s parents, Rolon and Rodriguez, FitzPatrick told NewsChannel 9, “I have directed that no criminal charges are going to be issued because they don’t serve any function in this particular case. This father, if he survives, is going to have lost his spouse and his child. There is no reason for deterrence. I can assure you this man will never live in his car again in his lifetime.”

 

Meanwhile, reflecting on her late granddaughter, who would have celebrated her second birthday on Sunday, Oct. 1, Rolon’s mom told Norwood News, “I had a dream about Pookie where he had a baby in his hands, and in the dream I’m telling him, ‘Pookie, let me get the baby because you can’t take care of the baby,’ and he said, ‘No, mommy, no. I was sent on a mission to take care of this baby’.” The mother added, “I had no idea that two weeks later it was going to be Joshua’s baby.”

 

A GoFundMe page has been set up to cover funeral expenses for Baby Delilah and has, so far, raised $3,561. Those wishing to donate can visit the site at https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-expenses-for-my-niece-delilah-rolon.

 

A person arrested and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

 

A vigil was held for the baby girl on Mosholu Parkway North and Decatur Avenue on Sunday, Oct. 16. A further story will follow.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.