Cops are investigating the “suspicious” death of the 4-month old son of a Mexican consulate official after the infant was brought to the hospital covered with cuts and bruises, authorities said.
Little Eduardo Rocha Ovalle of 11 East 32nd. St. was unconscious when his parents, Eduardo Rocha Bracamontes, 36, and Gina Ximena, 26, took him by cab about 9 p.m. Tuesday to NYU’s Langone Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
Cops went to the family’s home to investigate, and were awaiting results of an autopsy by the city’s Medical Examiner to determine what killed the infant – whose hands, feet and genitals were cut and bruised, authorities said.
“The baby expired at the hospital. When the Medical Examiner responded, he determined that an investigation should be done to determine the specific cause of death and that’s what’s going forward right now,” NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said.
Law enforcement sources said Bracamontes had tried to thwart the autopsy.
“The family hired a lawyer to prevent the autopsy and take the body to Mexico,” the source said.
“The parents are … saying that the baby had epilepsy and that’s how he got the bruises on his back and would scratch [himself] with his hands and feet. The child had a high fever for a few days,” the source added.
No charges have been filed. Cops said the dad had limited diplomatic immunity related to his consular duties – but could be charged with a crime if authorities determine foul-play led to the baby’s death.
Bracamontes worked as a “consular officer,” the Mexican Consulate said in a statement, without elaborating.
“According to international law, the Consulate General will provide the family the Consular assistance and protection required. We are in contact with all relevant local authorities,” it read.
“As the case is under investigation, the Consulate is not in a position to make any further comments.”
“He was a very nice person,” said Monica Arguelles, who works in the press office for the consulate.
But the super of the family’s building, Wanda Hernandez, 52,said the wife had complained to her about her husband’s abuse.
Two months ago, Hernandez said she found Ximena on the door steps, telling a female police officer, “He grabbed me so hard, he shook me,” referring to her husband.
“She was crying. She told me her husband bruised her and she was showing me the bruises on her arm,“ Hernandez said.
Sources confirmed that police had been to the home to investigate verbal domestic incidents in September and October, but that no arrests were made.
Bracamontes also claims to be the founder of ACHORE, a Mexico-based financial and political consulting and lobbying and firm, according to the company’s Web site.
The site features photos of him with people he says are the Sultan of Brunei, the minister of Singapore and the King of Papua, New Guinea, among others.
His Linked-In page lists Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard seal, but a spokesman there said they had no record of him having graduated from the school.
The spokesman would not say whether he took a course or seminar there.
Hernandez said the family were natives of Mexico who had lived in the apartment for less than a year and were behind on their rent.
She remembered the parents taking the boy home from the hospital after he was born, and that both looked thrilled about the new addition to the family.
“They seemed very happy,” she said.
The super said she let cops into the apartment about 6 a.m. Wednesday
and that there was no visible signs of blood or violence.
The couple was planning to return to Mexico on Dec. 31st, she said.
Additional reporting by Georgett Roberts and Larry Celona