Bronx DA: Bronx Parents Indicted in Death of Their 3-Month-Old Daughter and for Disposing Child’s Body Near Expressway

3-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER AND FOR DISPOSING

CHILD’S BODY NEAR EXPRESSWAY

Child’s Father Allegedly Shook Baby, Causing Her Death;

Infant’s Body Was Found Weeks Later

District Attorney Clark said, “The father of three-month-old Genevieve Comager allegedly shook the infant because she would not stop crying, leading to her death. The infant’s mother and father both allegedly placed her in a plastic bag and left her in a garbage ridden wooded area beside the Major Deegan Expressway. The alleged actions of these defendants are outrageous. They showed complete disregard for this innocent child, both in life and death. We will seek justice for little Genevieve.”

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Damion Comager, 23, was arraigned today on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter, second-degree Manslaughter, Tampering with Physical Evidence, two counts of Concealment of a Human Corpse and second-degree Obstructing Governmental Administration before Bronx Administrative Judge Alvin Yearwood. He was remanded. Ivana Paolozzi, 20, was arraigned June 20, 2023 on Tampering with Physical Evidence, two counts of Concealment of a Human Corpse and second-degree Obstructing Governmental Administration. Paolozzi was placed on electronic monitoring with supervised release. The defendants are due back in court on September 12, 2023.

According to the investigation, between May 10, 2023 and May 16, 2023, the defendants were living in a homeless shelter with the infant at 1041 University Avenue. Comager allegedly shook his three-month-old daughter, causing her death. Comager and Paolozzi then allegedly dressed the infant and placed her in a stroller, walked out of the shelter and went to a nearby wooded area, near 161st Street and the Major Deegan Expressway. The defendants allegedly put the infant’s body in bags and left her at that location.

According to the investigation, a Child Protective Specialist, employed by the New York City Administration of Children’s Services, called the defendants on May 28, 2023. During the conversation, both defendants allegedly stated at separate times that the defendants and their daughter were all alive, safe and had relocated to Louisiana, which was not the case. The parents were arrested on May 29, 2023 when the infant’s grandfather called police after defendant Comager admitted to him that he had killed the infant. Comager led detectives to the location where the infant’s body was left.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Serena Newell, Supervisor in the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, with the assistance of Astrid Borgstedt, Trial Counsel in the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Johanna Hernandez, Deputy Chief of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, Mimi Mairs, Chief of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, and under the overall supervision of Adrienne Giunta, Deputy Chief of Special Victims Division, and Joseph Muroff, Chief of Special Victims Division. District Attorney Clark thanked Elaina Clarke, Trial Preparation Assistant in the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Ryan Brady of the 44th Precinct and NYPD Detective Patrick Curran of Bronx Homicide for their work in the investigation.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.