14 TIMES • AUGUST 13, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.timesnewsweekly.com Richmond Hill mom charged with throwing infant son out of window to his death BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@ridgewoodtimes.com @aaltamirano28 The mother of a 3-week-old boy whose body was found in a Richmond Hill apartment building’s courtyard last week has been charged with murder after allegedly throwing the child out a four-story window because she believed an evil spirit had taken over the boy’s body. Rashida Chowdhury, 21, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and intentional murder of a victim less than 11 years old, the NYPD announced Saturday. A witness told authorities that just before 4 a.m. she had heard an unusual noise like a “thump” coming from the courtyard at 85-55 115th St., according to court documents. The witness then went to the lobby area of the building, looked through a window to the courtyard and saw a baby lying on the cement fl oor unresponsive and with an apparent injury to the head. She then called 911. Offi cers from the 102nd Precinct responded to the 911 call at 85-55 115th St. at about 4:06 a.m. on Aug. 7, according to police. Upon arriving, they found the baby, Rizwan Ahmad, unconscious and unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel also responded and pronounced the infant dead at the scene. During their investigation, authorities observed an open window on the fourth fl oor of the building and determined it to be the baby’s apartment, court documents said. The height from the window to the courtyard fl oor was determined to be about 42 feet high. While being questioned, the child’s Rashida Chowdhury mother of a 3-week-old boy, whose body was found in the courtyard of 85-55 115th St. has been charged for murder. (Right) The body of a 3-week-old boy who died in Richmond Hill on the morning of Aug. 7 is placed into the medical examiner’s van. mother— who lived in the apartment with her 40-year-old husband and other family members — said she woke up between 3:30 and 4 a.m. and took Rizwan from the bed and went into the bathroom, according to the criminal complaint. While she was alone in the bathroom with the baby she said she tossed him out of the bathroom window. According to court records, Chowdhury said that an evil spirit had taken over her infant son, who had recently been Photos by Robert Stridiron sick, and she was “ s t o p - ping the pain.” “ T h i s is a truly horrifi c and d i s t u r b i n g case of a mother accused of killing her helpless 3-week-old infant son by tossing him out of a window, where he fell more than 40 feet to the pavement and died,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. “The alleged actions of the defendant are totally incomprehensible. She now faces serious charges that could lead to her spending the rest of her life behind bars if convicted.” After performing an autopsy on the boy, the medical examiner classifi ed the death as a homicide and said the baby died of a blunt impact of the head and torso with skull fractures and lacerations of brain, liver and spleen, according to court records. Chowdhury was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court and is being held without bail. She has also been placed on suicide watch and is scheduled to appear in court again on Sept. 10. If convicted on her charges, Chowdhury faces up to 25 years to life in prison. Howard Beach ‘Second Avenue Sinatra’ missing BY ROBERT POZARYCKI rpozarycki@ridgewoodtimes.com @robbpoz Police continue to search for a missing ironworker from Howard Beach who became an Internet celebrity for singing American standards at the Second Avenue subway construction site in Manhattan. Gary Russo, 54, was last seen at 12:15 a.m. on July 28 at his residence on 90th Street near 156th Avenue. His family reported him missing to the 106th Precinct a week later. Dubbed the “Second Avenue Sinatra,” Russo became famous in 2011 after a YouTube video surfaced of him singing Frank Sinatra’s “Summer Wind” during his lunch break while working at the Second Avenue subway site on York Avenue. According to published reports, Russo quickly gained a following from local residents and workers who considered his daily, 30-minute performances as a respite from the ongoing, noisy dig. The video went viral, and Russo went on to be featured on “Good Morning America.” He also covered some of Sinatra’s greatest hits during a periodic show at Manhattan’s Metropolitan Room. He also co-wrote with psychologist Dr. Andrea Goeglein a self-help book, “Don’t Die with Your Song Unsung,” which speaks to the power of “positive psychology” and setting goals to fi nd happiness. The Huffi ngton Post reported in March that Russo took up singing as a way to fi ght depression after going through a divorce. Quoting family members, WCBS-TV reported that Russo became depressed recently following the death of a friend. On his Facebook page, Russo posted pictures in June of a houseboat he was working on at a location in Brooklyn. A law enforcement source familiar with the investigation said on Thursday that detectives and local volunteer fi refi ghters searched the Spring Creek area for any evidence of Russo, but nothing was found. Russo stands 5 foot 9 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds. There was no description of what he was wearing the last time anyone saw him. Anyone with info regarding Russo’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS, visit their website or send a text message to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confi dential. Photo via Facebook Gary Russo- 2nd Ave Sinatra
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