A 5-year-old boy was drowned by his father in the family’s Bronx apartment early Wednesday, police sources said.
Cops found the tragic scene when they responded to a call about an assault on a child at the University Heights building about 1:30 a.m., the sources said.
When they arrived, police found the little boy unconscious in the bathtub of the W. 179th Street apartment and rushed him to St. Barnabas hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The father told cops he had swallowed rat poison in a feeble bid to kill himself and that he had given some to the girl. She survived.
Police took the father into custody and charges were pending.
Leonardo Espinal , 47, was staying at his stepmother’s house, where he was taking care of the children for the day after his wife, Rosaura Abreu, told him she was leaving him. Later in the night, Leonardo contacted her over the phone to say he was going to kill himself.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit NYPDCrimestoppers.com.
All calls are strictly confidential.