A 32-year-old woman was found dead with stab wounds near a smoldering mattress along with a seriously injured 1-month-old girl who later died when firefighters responded to a blaze in the Bronx Thursday evening, police say.
The baby was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and later died.
The unidentified woman was pronounced dead at the scene at 3034 Albany Crescent. Fire officials said the woman had died from blunt force trauma to the head but police said she also had stab wounds.
"It appears a woman was murdered with some sharp object, and it appears she was dragged to the bathroom and the bathroom was lit on fire," said FDNY Deputy Chief Joe Saccente. "The woman was underneath a burning mattress in the bathroom."
The fire was reported just after 7 p.m. Thursday was brought under control about a half hour later. The cause of the fire is unknown. A medical examiner will determine the cause of death.
A young neighbor, James Garcia, said he saw "a lot of smoke coming out of an apartment on the fourth floor" of the building. He said firefighters rushed out of the building with the baby girl and administered CPR on top of a car hood.
"The baby looked like [she] was sleeping," said Garcia. "There was black smoke all over [her]."
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Authorities are investigating.
