Boy, 2, starves to death inside NY apartment after father suffers fatal heart attack
Nine months after David Conde Sr., 59 and his son, David Conde Jr., 2, were found dead inside an apartment in Geneva, New York, investigators have concluded that the toddler died of starvation when he was left with no one to care for him after his father suffered a fatal heart attack inside the home.
“It is believed Mr. Conde passed away first and the child was not able to obtain any nourishment after his father passed,” deputies wrote in a news release from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office cited by Syracuse.com.
When the late father and son were found dead inside their home at the Serenity Manor Apartments on Feb. 15, investigators said their cause of death wasn’t obvious as they had no obvious signs of trauma on their bodies.
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Police say they were called to the apartment to do a welfare check after no one had seen them for a week, the Democrat & Chronicle reported.
When deputies arrived at the apartment, the door was locked with a deadbolt and they had to get help from apartment staff to enter. The home was clean and there were food and clothes for the child, the report said.
“There were no signs of a struggle in the residence,” Ontario County Sheriff’s Lt. David Cirencione said at the time. “We do not have any reason to believe anybody else was in the apartment when these two passed away.”
He said the 911 call for a welfare check was made at 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Cirencione further noted that the father and son were last seen at the home alive on Jan. 22 and it had been at least seven to 10 days before that Tuesday since anyone heard from them.
Cirencione also explained that Conde Sr., had custody of his son since shortly after his birth and the mother, Michelle Travers, had been estranged from the family.
An obituary for the toddler said even though he was born with an undisclosed medical condition he had managed to learn how to walk after many surgeries and rehabilitation in his short life.
“David was born in Rochester on October 29, 2019, a beautiful baby boy with curly locks, that had a determined smile and sweet disposition,” the obituary said. “Despite his medical condition at birth, he had recently learned to walk, following many surgeries and months of casts and rehabilitation.”
The boy is survived by his mother, her partner, Marshall Watson, of Newark; his six brothers, Caden, Rickey, Ryan, Justin, Julian and Kayshaun; a sister, Kiera; his maternal grandmother, Julie Lincoln; and many extended family members and friends.
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