Staten Island mom and dad, both 23, charged with murder in death of infant in July

New York’s Staten Island. In relation to their infant son’s death this past summer, a Tottenville mother and father have been accused.

Their one-month-old died after being taken to Staten Island University Hospital in Prince’s Bay one morning in July, leading to the arrest of 23-year-olds Joseph Taranovich and Amanda Heben earlier this month on a top count of second-degree murder.

Both suspects were ordered to be held without bail and entered not guilty pleas to the allegations, which include second-degree murder, reckless endangerment, and endangering the welfare of a child.

Taranovich said Corrections personnel on Rikers Island roughed him up at a planned court appearance in state Supreme Court, St. George, on Friday.

The court granted his defense lawyer Mario Gallucci’s request for safe custody and medical care for his client.

According to Gallucci, Taranovich, who is 5′ 7″ and 120 pounds in height according to jail records, says he was singled out by cops because of the accusations.

A request for comment was not immediately answered by the New York City Department of Correction.

Malnutrition, infection: M.E.

According to court records, around 7 a.m. on July 20, Staten Island University Hospital staff notified emergency personnel that an unconscious, unresponsive infant had been brought there by private means.

Later, the one-month-old was declared deceased.

In court on Friday, prosecutors pointed out that hospital surveillance film is one of the pieces of evidence that have been documented thus far.

According to court documents, Main Street residents Heben and Taranovich neglected to give Joseph Heben Jr. the food and nourishment he needed to survive.

After a city medical examiner’s assessment determined that the infant had suffered from kidney infection, thymus gland shrinkage, and dehydration, the death was categorized as a homicide.

Defense attorneys question M.E. report

Both defendants’ lawyers have started looking into the case on their own.

Gallucci stated: These accusations are categorically denied by my client. He was just a loving parent, and I think the truth will surface after our experts have had a chance to assess the situation.

Christina Paliogiannis, a defense lawyer and one of the two Legal Aid Society lawyers working on Heben’s case, made a similar comment.

Paliogiannis stated that the charges are not supported by the evidence that the defense was given by the Richmond County District Attorney’s Office. In order to allow Amanda to grieve this loss at home with her family, we will keep pushing for her release.

Families supportive. Neighbor befuddled.

According to a person familiar with the situation, Taranovich was employed as a tow truck driver at an auto body shop when the child passed away.

The couple has an older child who appears to be well-cared for, according to a neighbor who was contacted by the Daily News months later while a homicide investigation was still underway.

The same source claims that once Taranovich was arrested, his mother took in the 4-year-old daughter.

Both defendants’ families were in court on Friday.

Paliogiannis stated that Amanda is mourning the untimely death of her son, Joseph. She firmly disputes the accusations presented by the prosecution and has pled not guilty.

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