As details continue to emerge about the plot to fake a baby's abandonment in Queens, the fate of the baby has remained questionable. Now the Administration for Children's Services say the 14-year-old mother, who may not have known about the plot, may get the 6-month-old baby back.
An ACS spokeswoman said, "The child has the right to be raised by the parent." The Post reports the mother, Yelemer Cosme Perez, is in ACS custody while the baby is in a foster home. However, the 27-year-old father, Carlos Rodas, is still at large, with the police searching for him.
As one commenter pointed out, the math is upsetting, given that it seems Perez was perhaps 12 when she had the baby. Perez and Rodas lived together in an apartment for two months, according to a former roommate, but later moved to 79 West 182nd Street with the baby. One retired cop told the Daily News, "There's a whole slew of charges this guy could be hit with. Rape would be the top charge, endangering the welfare of a child and possibly even kidnapping," Austin said. "Who knows if he held this girl against her will? Did he provide her with drugs or alcohol?"
Perez allegedly left baby Daniella with Rodas after being overwhelmed. Rodas panicked over caring for the baby and enlisted the help of his sister and her companion, a livery cab driver, to abandon the baby in a safe place. Rodas's sister Maria Siavichay, who was arrested, told the NY Times she left her daughter behind in Ecuador, "I knew when I left my daughter that I was going to see her again but I didn’t know if I was ever going to see my niece again.”
Driver Klever Sailema, also arrested and who also left children behind in Ecuador, told the Times, “I saw the pain Carlos was going through at the time. I was at the point of breaking down and crying as well. To see a father have to give up the thing he loves the most, as a father that destroys you.”
Sailema also gave a lengthy interview to the Daily News, explaining his description of the man who allegedly gave the baby away was prompted by panic, "I feel bad, but ultimately I feel like I did the right thing. My intentions were not to lie to the police." His lawyer claims his client did the right thing by giving the baby to a safe place (a fire house) and his taxi union is fighting so he can get his license back (it's currently suspended).
AMNY has now some information about the safe haven program for abandoned babies. Though the law says babies should be no more than 5 days old, an organizer says, "We'd rather have the child safely in our arms, and then we will deal with the legalities with the five day requirement."
