One year after the tragic death of his twin babies, Juan Rodriguez has pleaded guilty. The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment for leaving his twins in the car on a hot July day.
Juan thought he had already dropped the kids off at day care when he got out of his car to go to work on July 26, 2019. He wasn't aware that his 1-year-old twins were still strapped into their rear-facing car seats. They had been in the car for hours when authorities found them. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Juan, an Iraq war veteran, was devastated by his mistake. He says he completely blanked and had no idea what he had done. He won't face jail time for the terrifying accident. What he faces emotionally is a weight few ever have to bear. His wife has stayed by his side throughout the horrific ordeal. They stay committed to honoring their babies and raising their 5-year-old.
It's been almost one year since Juan Rodriguez made a mistake that would change his life forever. The New York City father pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment. The Iraq war veteran forgot his twins, Luna and Phoenix Rodriguez, in his car on a July day last summer.
The 39-year-old was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge after entering those pleas. He will not serve any jail time. Juan was sincere in his heartbreak when telling authorities he didn't know the kids, who were in rear-facing car seats, were still in the car on that day.
Juan dropped off his older child, 5 years old, at his day care center. Juan forgot to drop off the twins at a separate facility. He parked his car at the VA Medical Center in the Bronx, where he was a social worker, at 8 a.m.
Luna and Phoenix were discovered when he returned to his car hours later. He drove two blocks before realizing the babies were still strapped into their car seats. The babies had an internal body temperature of 108 degrees and were foaming at the mouth. Police were called around 4 p.m.
"I blanked out. My babies are dead. I killed my babies," Juan said to police at the scene.
"This is a tragedy of horrific proportions," Juan's attorney said. Juan pleaded not guilty to two counts each of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and endangering the welfare of a child upon his arrest. He was released that weekend on $100,000 bail.
Through this heartbreaking journey, Juan's wife, Marissa, has stayed by his side. She released a statement after he was released on bail.
"This is my absolute worst nightmare. Everything I do reminds me of my sweet, intelligent, beautiful babies and I am still in disbelief. Though I am hurting more than I ever imagined possible, I still love my husband," she said.
"He is a good person and great father and I know he would've never done anything to hurt our children intentionally," she asserted.
"I will never get over this loss and I know he will never forgive himself for this mistake. This was a horrific accident, and I need him by my side to go through this together. Luna and Phoenix will always live in our hearts and memories and we are working hard to come to terms with what has happened. We need to grieve, be strong, and be present for our other children. We ask that you respect our privacy during this most difficult time."
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Denise Clark said a few words after the virtual guilty plea. She said the children "were strapped in their car seats throughout the hot summer day, with no windows open. These babies suffered horribly and we owed them a thorough investigation."
"This was a tragic, unfortunate incident," she noted. "I hope that as the sweltering weather is upon us, caregivers will be extra vigilant about children in vehicles."
The legal battle has added to Juan's pain. He was brought to court proceeding after court proceeding for months. The Bronx DA debated having him appear before a grand jury to determine his culpability.
As Juan and Marissa continue to heal, they've dedicated themselves to a greater cause. They want to work to make sure no other family makes the same terrible mistake. They feel this work is the best way to honor the children.
