Mom of 5-year-old boy found dead in Queens in 2017 charged with manslaughter
JAMAICA, Queens (WABC) -- A woman wanted in the homicide of her 5-year-old son in Queens has been charged with manslaughter after being arrested at a relative's home in Alabama.
Phyllis Reinoso, 31, was extradited to New York City in connection with Michael Guzman's death after the boy was found unconscious and unresponsive inside a home on 109th Avenue in Jamaica on January 22, 2017.
He was found in his 9-year-old sister's bedroom, where he appeared to have been dead for at least 12 hours.
He was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital, and his parents were questioned but no charges filed at the time.
Authorities say he had been given epilepsy medication the night before, after his parents had left the house to visit a nearby friend. The boy was left in at home with his five brothers and sisters, the oldest being 15 years old. Prosecutors say Reinoso instructed her 11-year-old daughter, by phone, to administer the boy's second dose of anti-seizure medication for epilepsy.
His parents then did not disturb him for most of Sunday because they thought he was sleeping, they told detectives. When they finally checked on him, his body was lifeless and cold.
The case was deemed a homicide in December of 2017, after the medical examiner ruled Guzman died of an overdose of his epilepsy medication, but Reinoso could not be located at that time.
US Marshals tracked her down and arrested her in Alabama on June 9.
She is charged with manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment, acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17, and failure to exercise control of a minor.
According to the criminal complaint, Guzman was first under-medicated, leading to the assault charge. A few months before his death, Reinoso allegedly did not provide enough medicine and then did not bring Guzman to hospital as her doctor instructed.
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