Infant Living in a Homeless Shelter Unit Dies

A 4-month old girl living in a homeless shelter unit died over the weekend.

Police said Akira Williams was found unresponsive when the police arrived to her family’s apartment on Ogden Avenue in the Bronx on Saturday. The medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of the death, but early reports indicate the mother accidentally smothered the infant who was sleeping with her in the same bed.

The family lived in one of the so-called cluster sites, apartments rented by the city from private landlords to house homeless families. The provider running the site is called Acacia Network.

A city official said two cribs were provided in the unit, and the NYPD is continuing the investigation.