Mother charged in death of Queens infant

RICHMOND HILL, N.Y. (WABC) -- The mother of an infant boy found dead outside a Queens apartment building Friday has been charged in his death.

Rashida Chowdhury, 21, of Queens, was charged Saturday with second-degree murder.

The boy, just 20 days old, was found around 4 a.m. in a courtyard outside the 115th Street building near a trash can, in the Richmond Hill section. It has been ruled a homicide; detectives said they believe he was tossed from a fourth-floor window.

Rizwan Ahmad, who was born on July 18, was dressed in a blue and white onesie.

"Four o'clock in the morning, I step out and I heard something fall out the window, like a book," building resident Mazol Ilyayeva said. "I go downstairs into the courtyard, and I see the baby on the floor, just blood everywhere, and just like a puppy dead."

Ilyayeva called 911.

"As I'm sleeping, I wake up to the noise of people just running up and down the stairs," neighbor Taylor Russea said. "Lights are flashing outside my window. My dog is barking."

Chowdhury initially was taken to Jamaica Medical Center Friday for observation. She was in custody Saturday morning. Police also questioned the 40-year-old father.

An autopsy on the infant revealed that he died of blunt impact of the head and torso, with skull fractures and lacerations of brain, liver and spleen. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. Police said the baby didn't fall by himself.

And while Russea heard the aftermath, his brother overheard noises minutes before the infant was thrown.

"We live right below them," he said. "So he heard a huge tantrum of a kid crying, and just running up and down, that's all he heard."

EMS pronounced the child dead at the scene.

The Administration for Children's Services is also investigating. Two other children, ages 3 and 8, live in the apartment, but it's unclear where they are staying now.