Police have arrested a 51-year-old man for the July 2023 death of his elderly mother that was later ruled a homicide.
Edward Asencio was charged Thursday with manslaughter and second-degree assault against his then 84-year-old mother, Ana Asencio, police said.
On July 17, 2023, police discovered the elder Asencio “unconscious and unresponsive” at her apartment at 70 West 93rd Street after getting a call from a concerned relative. She was declared deceased at the scene by EMS.
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Six months later on January 15, 2024, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) ruled Asencio’s death a homicide after an autopsy revealed bruising on her neck and head injuries as the result of strangulation. No arrests were made at the time, but police said she was a victim of “elder abuse.”
At the time, Asencio’s neighbor, 72-year-old Migdalia Rodriguez, told the NY Daily News that Ana, a retired schoolteacher, “suffered from dementia and lived in the filthy apartment with her son.”
“She didn’t deserve this,” Rodriguez told the outlet. “She wasn’t in her right mind but she was a lovely lady.” Rodriguez also said she would bring Ana food and help her go to the bathroom. “Her legs were swollen. She needed help to get around.”
A warrant was issued for Edward Asencio’s arrest earlier this month, October 9, AMNY reported. Police arrested Ascencio at 89th and Broadway on Thursday, October 17.
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