On February 15th, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Department responded to a welfare check in Geneva, NY regarding a father, David Conde Sr., and his son, David Conde Jr.. Family members hadn’t heard from the father in several weeks and grew worried that something might’ve happened. The father-son duo was found dead in his apartment.
At the time, investigators couldn’t find any signs of forced entry into the apartment – nor were there signs of violence, wrongdoing, trauma, struggle, or suspicious activity. They were found in the father’s bedroom – the father on the bed and the son near the bed. The heaters were off and the front door was locked.
Early in the investigation, they wanted to rule out potential carbon monoxide poisoning – considering the apartment had its own natural gas water heater. They were also investigating whether or not they froze to death since the space heaters they had in each room were off when authorities arrived at the home.
It has been nine months since family members learned of the deaths, and now they finally have a full picture of what happened. According to the Monroe County Medical Examiner, the father passed away first of cardiovascular disease (natural causes), with the son passing away of starvation sometime after.
The father-son duo was identified as David Conde Sr., 59, and David Conde Jr., 2. They were last seen alive on January 22nd and found dead on February 15th, meaning their deaths could’ve happened at any point during that three-week period. The father had primary custody and the kid wasn’t in school yet.
“Two deputies responded they were unable to get any answer at the door. They summoned motel or apartment staff — they came with a key, unlocked the door, the door was locked, the deadbolt was locked, they opened the door as far as they could, the chain was engaged inside,” said the OCSD.
Police officers forced entry and headed to the back bedroom – where David and David Jr. were found in nighttime clothing. After the bodies were found, they were sent to Monroe County Medical Examiner’s office for autopsies. It took a while to get the results, but now we have a clear idea of what transpired.
David Conde Jr. Described as ‘Beautiful Baby Boy With Curly Locks’
When David Conde Sr. and David Conde Jr. died, the world lost a loving father and amazing little boy. According to the obituary, David Conde Jr. was born on October 29, 2019 – ‘a beautiful baby boy with curly locks, that had a determined smile and sweet disposition.’ He will be missed by family members.
Despite being born with a medical condition – it didn’t say what medical condition – David Conde Jr. had recently learned to walk. It took a slew of surgeries, months living in a cast, and even more time spent in rehabilitation. Still, he overcame the odds and was walking at the age of two. His death was a tragedy.
“David is survived by his mother, Michelle Travers, and her partner, Marshall Watson, of Newark; his six brothers, Caden, Rickey, Ryan, Justin, Julian, and Kayshaun; a sister, Kiera; his maternal grandmother, Julie Lincoln; as well as many extended family members and friends,” read the little boy’s obituary.
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The tragedy is a simple reminder to check on your loved ones often – not just to make sure they’re alive, but to see how they’re doing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. You never know when disaster might strike and you never know what someone else might be going through.