The death of a 2-year-old Staten Island boy has been deemed a homicide, police said Saturday.
Ermias Taylor-Santiago, of Stapleton, was found inside 29 Deirdre Court on May 20, after someone called 911. The child was unresponsive, with “no obvious signs of trauma,” authorities said.
There are no arrests. “The investigation remains ongoing,” cops said.
The boy’s death left “the entire family devastated,” his grandmother told The Post Saturday.
The boy’s parents — Kenya Taylor-Santiago and Ermias Santiago — who could not be reached for comment, have each shared their pain and suffering online.
“My heart is heavy when it comes to you son! His truly took the wrong person and it doesn’t sit right with me at all!” Kenya Taylor-Santiago posted on Facebook just before the holidays, accompanied by a photo of her smiling boy and the Justin Bieber tune, “Anyone.”
“Now in days I’m so angry and lost without you and the holidays approaching just makes everything worse! I miss you tremendously and nothing is ever going to be the same until I’m reunited with you and I see that gorgeous face of yours! Ermias Zamile Edward momma is broken and lost without you,” she added.
In another post, the mom declares to her son, “I will forever love you beyond this life!” and “I rather me be your guardian angel then (sic) you guiding me…I have to forever look for you in the rainbow!”
The boy’s dad said in a series of June 21 Facebook posts: ” I miss you ermias I love you I’m Lost with out you my life been ruff since you left but I know god know I was the best father man and pop I am you I am ermias and I wish this was a dream.”
Ermias Santiago also lamented: “I miss you so much baby boy like I ask god why you, my son was only 2 years old I watch him take his last breath he was the best kid ever no matter what he went threw….this sh-t is terrible how the f–k my lil man is not here did everything as a father for my baby , this ain’t right at all I can’t sleep eat nothing my son is gone I had. A terrible Father’s Day.”
The toddler tragedy “took the family by surprise,” said Carmen Rivera, who identified herself as the boy’s grandmother, after being informed of the latest development in the case. “The doctors had claimed his heart had stopped.”
“The father brought him over to my house saying, ‘Something’s wrong,’ and my daughter noticed he [the baby] didn’t look right and he started changing colors, turning blue, like he had lack of oxygen,” Rivera said.
The grandmom said someone called for an ambulance.
Rivera would not speculate on the coroner’s decision to rule the death of her grandson a homicide.
“We’re a very close-knit family. My daughter’s taking this very hard,” she said.
Asked if the boy’s parents are still together, she said, “It’s been hard since the loss of the child … I don’t get into that situation.”
The city Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to a message, while the Staten Island District Attorney’s office declined to comment on the investigation.