Cindy Rodriguez

New York, NY —

The city comptroller says a Brooklyn non-profit that helps struggling families keep their kids out of foster care has been poorly managed. According to Comptroller Bill Thompson's audit, the Child Development Support Corporation failed to do criminal background checks on 95 percent of its employees.

Thompson ...

New York, NY —

It's a response to the crane collapse on 51st Street that killed seven people a week and a half ago. That accident occurred while workers were trying to extend the crane, ...

New York, NY —

The arrest of a building inspector who allegedly falsified an inspection of the crane that fell last weekend has led to questions about the Department of Buildings procedures. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez has been covering this story all week, and joined Soterios Johnson to discuss in ...

New York, NY —

A landmark building on Manhattan's west side is falling apart and in a rare legal action the landmark's commission is suing to try to force the owners to repair it. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports:

The Windermere Apartments on Ninth Avenue and 57th Street were constructed around ...

New York, NY —

An investigation into last weekend’s crane collapse has let to the arrest of an inspector with the Buildings Department. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez has more from Midtown.

Edward Marquette has been charged with falsifying records according to the Department of Investigations. He lied about inspecting the crane ...

New York, NY —

More than two years after the brutal death of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown, a jury in Brooklyn found her stepfather, Cesar Rodriguez, guilty of manslaughter in the first degree. The jurors cleared him of the top charge of murder in the second degree, a charge that ...

New York, NY —

Still no verdict in the murder trial of Cesar Rodriguez, the man accused of murdering his 7-year-old step-daughter, Nixzmary Brown.

Jurors have been deliberating for about a day and half. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

The trial lasted for more than 10 weeks and now the predominantly female ...

New York, NY —

A prosecutor confronted the defendant as she gave her closing argument yesterday.

WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

Ama Dwimoh pointed her finger and glared at Rodriguez as she stood directly in front of the defense table. She called him a murderer and with the photos of Nixzmary's emaciated ...

New York, NY —

Closing arguments are expected today in the trial of Cesar Rodriguez.

The 29-year old is charged with abusing and murdering his 7-year-old stepdaughter, Nixzmary Brown.

Yesterday, defense attorneys had hoped to get testimony from a psychologist who'd examined Rodriguez's wife following her arrest in the same case, ...

New York, NY —

Closing Arguments have begun in the trial of Cesar Rodriguez, who stands accused of murdering his 7-year-old step daughter, Nixzmary Brown. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez has more.

The defenses case is based on the theory that while Cesar Rodriguez might be a child abuser, it was his ...

New York, NY —

Maria Gonzalez did not testify voluntarily.

The defense subpoenaed her in hopes that she would back up claims that Nixmary's mother was mentally unstable, but she repeatedly answered "no" when asked if her daughter sought psychiatric help or was taking psychiatric drugs.

The defense was quick to ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: With a new subway ad campaign, the Bloomberg administration is discouraging New Yorkers from giving money to panhandlers.

Mayor Bloomberg says it's hard to resist the urge to give.

BLOOMBERG: You just have to be able to look the person in the eye or turn away, ...

New York, NY —

An immigrant livery driver from Ecuador, who's being called both a hero and liar, faced the press yesterday and tried to explain why he made up a story about the baby he left at a Queens firehouse last Thursday.

WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

OUTRO: And there are ...

New York, NY —

Mayor Bloomberg has vetoed a bill that would have forced private landlords to accept the federally funded housing voucher known as Section 8.

REPORTER: The legislation would make it illegal for landlords to discriminate against tenants based on the source of income they use for rent. ...

New York, NY —

A police lieutenant gave testimony that could harm the cases of three detectives on trial in connection with the shooting death of Sean Bell.

Under questioning from a prosecutor Lieutenant Gary Napoli said that he could not recall seeing shields on two detectives nor did he ...

New York, NY —

Under questioning from a prosecutor, Dr. Charles Wetli maintained that while Nixzmary Brown was abused, she would not have died without being struck in the head.

The testimony conflicts with the prosecution's assertion that the child died from a combination of head trauma and the regular ...

New York, NY —

REPORTER: According to the Medical Examiner's report, she died from a combination of regular beatings and head trauma.

Dr. Charles Wetli, a forensic pathologist and former chief medical examiner for Suffolk County, disputed that.

Wetli was called to the stand by defense attorney Jeffrey Schwartz, who says ...

New York, NY —

Dangerous scaffolds and sidewalk sheds have the city cracking down on contractors who don't build them properly. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: The Department of Buildings inspectors will conduct a citywide sweep of 1500 supported scaffolds and sidewalk sheds, beginning today. Information gathered will then be ...

New York, NY —

The Department of Buildings is expected to release a new initiative this morning aimed at making scaffolds safer for construction workers.

It's been 3 weeks since 2 men fell from a scaffold while working on a high rise in Clinton Hill.

One man died, the other sustained ...

New York, NY —

The prosecution has rested in the murder trial of Cesar Rodriguez. He's accused of murdering his stepdaughter - 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown.

The defense was going to call Rodriguez's wife as its first witness tomorrow, but after a contentious hearing, a judge ruled against her taking the ...