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Daniel Auster, 44, was arrested last week for the death of his 10-month -old daughter, Ruby. He is being charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and endangering the welfare of a child. His baby daughter suffered a drug-related death in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY. 

Police transferred Daniel Auster, who has a history of drug addiction to Methodist Hospital in Park Slope for treatment before his arraignment.

At his arraignment Daniel was silent. None of his family was present in court.

Baby’s overdose death charge manslaughter

Paramedics were called to the scene where the baby was unresponsive. And she was later pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital, the NYPD said.

An autopsy revealed the baby died of a drug overdose. The death was ruled a homicide. In addition to other charges, Auster is being charged with manslaughter.

According to Assistant District Attorney Tien Tran, Auster had been using heroin on the day of the death. And told cops he gave Ruby Narcan “in case I f–ked up.”

NYC medical examiners report that Ruby died of an overdose of fentanyl and heroin. The amounts of drugs in her body were enough to “render an adult unconscious,” Tran said.

Auster told authorities he woke up to find his 10-month-old daughter Ruby’s “lips blue and eyes stiff.” 

He also had possession of “glassine packets of heroin” that he kept in the bathroom, the ADA said.

Tragedy in Brooklyn neighborhood

Ruby’s death comes at a time when overdose deaths have nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels.  New York City is facing another epidemic with drugs. 

Neighbors close to where the tragedy occurred talked anonymously to The New York Post. They said that after the baby’s death infant items were left outside the apartment building for anyone to take.

“Everything, all the baby clothes, books, toys, it was just heartbreaking,” said a resident of the apartment building.

The suspect comes from a storied family of New York writers. Daniel's dad is the author of “The New York Trilogy,” “The Book of Illusions,” and “Moon Palace.” 

His mother is writer Lydia Davis. And his stepmother is novelist Siri Hustvedt, whose works include “The Blindfold,” “The Enchantment of Lily Dahl” and 2003’s “What I Loved.”

Daniel’s father and sister still live in Brooklyn and have no comment.