4 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 10, 2020 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Community mourns loss of Bayside restaurant owner
Baby’s cries lead to discovery of woman found dead in South Richmond Hill
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com
@robbpoz
The cries of an infant led neighbors
and police to the horrific discovery of
a dead young woman inside a South
Richmond Hill home on Saturday afternoon
— and two children were found
alive but unattended, it was reported.
The 25-year-old woman’s death is
now being investigated as a possible
suicide, police sources said.
Officers from the 102nd Precinct and
EMS units were called to the residence
at 95-18 133rd St. at about 2:37 p.m.
on Dec. 5.
According to sources, first responders
came to the scene based on a 911
call from a neighbor who reported
hearing a baby crying from inside the
apartment.
Upon gaining entry into the residence,
officers and medical technicians
found a 25-year-old woman unconscious
and unresponsive.
She was later pronounced
dead.
Also inside the residence,
first responders found two
young children, ages 1 and 4.
Sources said they were alert and
brought to Jamaica Hospital for
observation.
The investigation is ongoing.
Photos by Robert Stridiron
Police at the door of the residence.
Offi cers from the 102nd Precinct and EMS
units on scene at a home on 133rd Street
in South Richmond Hill, Queens on Dec.
5, 2020.
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
The Bayside community is
remembering the late Michael
Molinari for his warm generosity
and kindness to others.
Molinari, the owner of Trattoria
35 on 213-15 35th Ave., died unexpectedly
on Nov. 16 at the age of
50. He was laid to rest on Nov. 20,
following a ceremony at Our Lady
at the Blessed Sacrament, located
at 34-24 203 St. in Bayside. In lieu
of fl owers, Molinari’s family had
asked for donations made in his
name to Our Lady of the Blessed
Sacrament Catholic Academy.
Molinari is survived by his wife,
Donna Molinari and son, Michael
Jr.
Customers who dined at
Trattoria 35 expressed their condolences
to the family and restaurant
staff . Th ey recalled meeting
Molinari at the restaurant, located
at 213-15 35th Ave.
“He would always say hello upon
arrival and then make sure he pops
over to your table to ask how you
are doing and if everything is okay,”
Evan Cohen said.
Melissa Cabrera-Brojan said he
was a great owner and host at the
restaurant.
“He always made myself and
my family feel so welcomed anytime
we walked through the door,”
Cabrera-Brojan said. “He would
greet everyone with a smile and a
big hug. May he RIP.”
Th omas Costanzo said, “My wife
and I went there a few times. We
even had our engagement party
upstairs. He was such a nice man
and treated us like we went back
for years. Sorry to see someone so
genuine go away too soon.”
Jeremy Golub said, “He sure was
the best guy! To everyone! Not one
person I spoke to said something
bad about him! Rest easy my man!”
Th ose sentiments were echoed
during the service held at Our
Lady at the Blessed Sacrament, as
a monsignor said Molinari was a
man that was generous to a fault.
“Michael knew that god blessed
him with time, talent and treasure.
And he knew that those
things were not to be hoarded for
himself but to share with others,
and indeed he did so,” the monsignor
said. “He gave his time to his
beloved staff at Trattoria, to every
single person no matter who they
were that walked into that restaurant.”
Molinari was known to never
turn down a request for a donation
to the parish or schools, according
to the monsignor.
“He was generous to the community
events and organizations,
especially at St. Mary’s Children’s
Hospital,” monsignor said.
Th e Trattoria 35 family had
issued a statement on social media
on the sudden passing of Molinari,
whom they referred as a “very dear
friend.”
“Th rough everything we’ve been
through this year, as a business,
as a community, as a family —
this hurts the most,” Trattoria 35
said in a statement on Facebook.
“Michael was an outstanding
member of the community, a
father to Little Michael, and the
leader of the Trattoria 35 Family.
Please keep him and his family in
your thoughts and prayers during
this diffi cult time.” Michael Molinari, owner of Trattoria 35, passed away at the age of 50 on Nov. 16.
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