Sharlene Santiago, a 39-year-old woman, and her 10-year-old son, Brian Santiago, were discovered deceased in their apartment in the Bronx, New York City late Wednesday, August 14, 2024. A report of a foul smell led the police to their decomposing bodies. Law enforcement officials hypothesize that Sharlene overdosed, leaving her bedridden son, Brian, to tragically starve to death.

The unfortunate discovery was made at the Marble Hill NYCHA complex at 5240 Broadway after neighbors, noticing a strong odor, alerted authorities. The bodies had been decomposing for an unknown duration, according to law enforcement. The family dog, however, was found alive, having sustained itself on food left in the apartment.

Brian, who was dependent on a feeding tube and immobile, likely starved following his mother’s death. A witness described the scene of the police entering the apartment: “They were knocking. Nobody opened the door, so they broke in. After that, I saw the ambulances all outside.”

The city’s Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) has faced scrutiny following the incident due to their previous interactions with Santiago. Since 2013, ACS has opened five cases against her, with the first one being a complaint that her son had tested positive for marijuana at birth. The subsequent complaints included allegations of drug abuse, neglect, and failure to thrive. In 2016, Brian was temporarily taken from her custody but was later returned.

In addition, ACS investigated Santiago in 2011 in a case concerning her drug use and unsatisfactory guardianship of a daughter, who was not with her at the time of the deaths.

Expressing her sadness over the boy’s death, Councilwoman Diana Ayala, who represents sections of Manhattan and the Bronx, has pledged to investigate the circumstances of the tragic incident.

Critics of the ACS, including law enforcement officials and child welfare advocates, argue that systemic issues within the agency contributed to the tragedy. An investigator asserted that if a child is returned to a parent and subsequently dies, it is a criminal act that should lead to accountability.

The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is set to conduct autopsies to establish the exact cause of death for both Santiago and her son, although the investigation is still underway.

In a separate but equally concerning incident on the same night, an 11-month-old girl, Jazeli Mirabel, was found dead in a bathtub in a different Bronx location.

Both incidents have reignited conversations about the necessity for significant improvements in New York City’s child welfare system. Despite prior attempts at reform, doubts linger as to whether stronger interventions could have prevented the tragic death of Brian Santiago.