Was 'forgotten baby syndrome' behind twins' death?
NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - The father of twin babies who died after being left in a hot car in the Bronx while he worked has told prosecutors that he "blanked out."
The social worker at a veterans' hospital said he intended to drop the children off at daycare but forgot they were in the car.
Psychologist Dr. Joshua Rosenthal says forgotten baby syndrome could be to blame.
"A perfect storm from a different number of events have to happen for this tragedy to occur," said Rosenthal. "It has to be something that is a little bit unusual for the morning routine. Or, maybe it's the parent who doesn't normally take them or the child has to be so quiet, or they're facing backwards, or there can't be a cue for the parent to remember the child is back there. Also, it needs to be an extremely hot day that there is no cover for the child."
An attorney for Juan Rodriguez, 39, told reporters that he hoped that a grand jury would not pursue a criminal case.
"We are speaking to the district attorney's office to convey to them what I think they know and understand that this way a horrific and terrible tragedy," said attorney Joey Jackson.
"Since 1990, more than 900 children in the United States have been documented as having died in a hot car," said Susan Auriemma, VP, Kids and Cars.
Nine of those children were in New York City. Only four cases resulted in criminal charges.
"In over half the cases, the parent intended to drop off at day care. There was some sort of stress or fatigue that caused the auto-pilot function of the brain to take over," said Auriemma.