A 3-year-old girl died after she was found in a burning car in Queens Sunday night, and her father was taken into custody in connection to her death.
The girl, identified as Zoey Pereira, of Queens, was found inside an Audi on fire outside Baisley Pond Park at 154th Street and Baisley Boulevard in Springfield Gardens shortly before 9 p.m., police said.
Zoey was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, but did not survive. The NYPD ruled her death a homicide, and the cause will be determined by the medical examiner.
Her father, a 39-year-old Long Island resident, was found a short distance away from the car with burns on his body, police said. He was taken into custody and transported to the hospital in serious but stable condition.
Gas canisters and chains were found at the scene, but the cause of the fire remained under investigation, an NYPD spokesman said.
No charges were filed as of Monday morning.
With Newsday
