BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A 2-year-old girl found dead in a Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment fire last week died of smoke inhalation, according to the New York City's Medical Examiner.
Kaleenah Muldrow died on Feb. 23 after a blaze tore through the top floor of 755 Monroe St. near Patchen Avenue. The toddler’s body wasn’t found until the her mother asked where she was, hours after the fire had been extinguished, according to police.
The ME also ruled that the death was accidental.
Firefighters were called to the home around 6:49 a.m. and brought it under control just before 7:30 a.m., according to the FDNY.
They conducted searches of the building and there was no report of anyone trapped during the initial call or by anyone on scene when firefighters arrived, department officials said.
Firefighters returned to the scene around 9:30 a.m. and discovered Kaleenah after her mother, Leila Aquino, came home and told officers her daughter was inside at the time of the fire, according to police.
The FDNY said it is carrying out a review, which it does after every fatal fire.
Aquino, 20, was arrested the same day on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment, police said.
The mother told officials she had left the child home alone and returned to the apartment after the blaze was extinguished, court papers show.
The Administration for Children’s Services had visited the Monroe Street home three times before the fatal fire but did not find any prior evidence that Aquino had trouble caring for Kaleenah, officials said.
Aquino was released on Feb. 25 on $10,000 bail, according to court records, and is due back in court on March 31.
