Queens mom charged with felony assault after 1-year-old daughter dies, twin hurt
AUBURNDALE, Queens (WABC) -- Felony assault charges have been filed against a Queens mother who police say critically injured her 13-month-old son, all while she is being questioned in the death of his twin sister.
Detectives say 30-year-old Tina Torabi's daughter Elaina was found unconscious with bruises and wounds on her body inside the family's basement apartment in Auburndale on Wednesday night.
Her twin brother Keon had multiple broken bones and bruises and was hospitalized in critical condition. Three other sisters, all between the ages of 3 and 5, were also in the apartment but did not appear injured.
First responders described dirty, squalid conditions in the basement.
An autopsy will determine Elaina's cause of death, but sources say she had bruises on the back of her head, bruising on her genitals, a large wound on her abdomen, and blisters and open lesions all over her body.
Keon was found with two broken ribs a broken hip, a lacerated liver and severe swelling to his abdomen. He remains at Cohen Children's Medical Center, but he is expected to survive.
Tina Torabi mother was reportedly was unable to tell detectives what happened in the apartment. Detectives are investigating possible domestic violence, however, city officials noted there were never any allegations of physical abuse.
Back in 2017, all five children were removed from the mother and placed with their grandmother after the twins were born with opioids in their system. A judge returned them to their mother in March after no evidence of drug use was found. Child welfare workers made at least one visit to the house since then.
Detectives would also like to talk to her estranged husband, whom she had an order of protection against after he choked her in 2015. His relatives appear to own the Queens house, but he does not live there. He has an open arrest warrant for a child support violation in Nashville, Tennessee.
ACS released a statement saying, "Our top priority is protecting the safety and well-being of all children in New York City. We are investigating this case, and we have taken action to secure the safety of the other children in this home."
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