City of Newburgh – A small group of residents gathered in the area of 135 Williams Street at about 1:30 this afternoon and watched while the 2 remaining children were removed from the home from which Peter Cuacuas took his last breaths nearly 2 weeks ago. He was brought to Montefiore St. Luke’s Hospital and pronounced dead…efforts to revive him failed. The child who was only 7 years old is said to have been severely malnourished, and possibly starved and shackled, though police said that injuries in the area of his ankles could have possibly been from socks that were too tight.
Neighbors had immediately shared serious concerns that two other children were left in the house and have vowed to hold vigils each Wednesday until they find out what happened to Peter, and what will happen to the 2 other children. It is not clear at this time whether the two children removed today from the same home are from the same family. Today they were removed, ostensibly by Child Protective Services.
Resident Natasha Dennis and a friend took this video. She exclaimed
“There must be a God out here today.
Tbey’re taking the kids. They’re taking the kids!
Pausing for a moment, she added “Should have been done a long time ago.”
Photos are from video taken at the scene.