The mother of a pair of twins who died in a hot car after their father left them in the back seat all day has said she will stand by her husband despite the two counts each of manslaughter and negligent homicide leveled against him. Marissa Rodriguez from New York publicly declared that she still loves her husband, Juan Rodriguez, after he forgot to drop their 1-year-old twins at day care in July 2019 and left them in his stifling car while he went to work. "He is a good person and great father and I know he would've never done anything to hurt our children intentionally," she said.
The dad told police he accidentally forgot about his twin 1-year-olds in his back seat of his car instead of dropping them off at day care.
The 39-year-old social worker explained that he dropped off his 3-year-old child at a home in Westchester before driving to his office at the VA Medical Center in the Bronx, reported ABC 7. His twins, Luna and Phoenix, were riding in the car in the back seat, according to CBS 2.
He said he simply forgot that his children were in their rear-facing car seats as he drove to work and then left them in the car during his eight-hour shift. NBC 4 reported that the kids were forgotten in the car starting at 8 a.m., but the dad didn't realize at first that he had made a mistake when his day ended and he got back into his car at 4 p.m. He reportedly drove for two blocks before he came to the horrifying realization that his kids were in the back seat "foaming at the mouth." He immediately pulled over, called 911, and began yelling for help, according to ABC 7.
When police found the twins, their body temperatures were 108 degrees, according to NBC 4.
“I assumed I dropped them off at day care before I went to work,” Rodriguez told police at the scene, per the New York Post. “I blanked out! My babies are dead! I killed my babies!”
After medics arrived, they could not revive the twins and they were pronounced dead.
Rodriguez was taken into custody for questioning, and he was charged the next day.
Rodriguez, an Iraq war veteran, was arrested in connection with the death of his twins and charged with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of criminally negligent homicide, reported ABC 7.
The dad broke down in tears at his arraignment hearing at Bronx Criminal Court, according to the Post.
“He carried on with his day,” Assistant District Attorney Jaime Breslin told Justice Patsy Goldborne.
"My client is heartbroken," said Rodriguez's lawyer, Joey Jackson. "He certainly understands the gravity of what occurred. His family understands the gravity of what occurred. They are strong, they are resilient, and they will get through this very difficult and trying time."
Ultimately, Justice Patsy Goldborne set Rodriguez's bail at $50,000 cash and $100,000 bond. But only two hours later the dad made bail and was released to his cheering family members, including his wife, Marissa, who is determined to stand by his side.
The mom spoke out on her husband's behalf and said she still loves him despite his tragic mistake.
The mom shared with NBC 4 that despite her intense grief, she knows her husband is still a good person.
"Though I am hurting more than I ever imagined possible, I still love my husband," she explained in a statement. "He is a good person and great father and I know he would've never done anything to hurt our children intentionally.
"I will never get over this loss and I know he will never forgive himself for this mistake," she added. "This was a horrific accident, and I need him by my side to go through this together."
A family friend who lived with the family also spoke out on the dad's behalf, reported the Post. Temple Barros said that the dad would often take his twins to day care in the mornings while he went to work and Marissa went to work as a tourism and travel sales manager at Empire City Casino in Yonkers.
"An amazing guy,” Barros said. “He’s always been there for his kids. Always. This is just a horrible situation. The family isn’t doing so well.”
He was “always doing things with the kids,” another neighbor said. “Always in the yard playing. They had a big campout last weekend, with tents in the back yard. "He would always play catch or basketball with his older kids.”
For now, Marissa has asked for privacy so the family can "grieve, be strong, and be present for our other children," reported NBC 4.
