Marissa Rodriguez Takes Her Twins’ Shoes With Her ‘Everywhere’ After Tragic Hot Car Deaths
Carrying a piece of them with her. Marissa Rodriguez revealed that she takes her twins’ shoes with her “everywhere,” after they passed away on July 26 due to being left in a hot car. The grieving mother from New York City talked about how she’s coping with the loss while appearing on Dr. Phil, during the episode which aired Thursday, November 14.
“I’ve been taking the shoes with me everywhere I go for the last almost three months now,” the Rockland County local said while visibly emotional. On the last day she saw Luna and Phoenix alive, Marissa dressed up the 1-year-olds and put their shoes on, so she now brings the sneakers with her on a regular basis to hold onto their memory after the devastating incident.
Marissa’s veteran husband, Juan, 39, intended to bring his children to daycare on that fateful day in July, but he unfortunately left the kids in his vehicle. Marissa said the first call she received from him was around 4 p.m.
“He told me, ‘Alright, it’s your turn to pick up the kids.’ He was going to a military event. He generally brought the kids to day care, but we switched off who picked them up. So I said, ‘No problem.’ I was still working for another hour at least.”
The NYC mother claimed that she received another call from her husband afterwards as well as a voicemail, and she found this alarming since he didn’t often leave messages. “And then he called again, and I said, ‘OK, it’s important.’ And I heard him say they were gone,” Marissa recalled. “He pulled over and was screaming. The police did not allow me to see the children. I have been so angry. I just couldn’t understand how it happened.”
As far as his side of the story goes, Juan reportedly finished his shift at work before returning to his car. When he started driving, the social worker saw his twins in their car seats while looking in the rearview mirror.
Marissa later released a statement explaining how she still loves her husband, despite everything that’s occurred. “He is a good person and great father and I know he would’ve never done anything to hurt our children intentionally,” she wrote.
Juan is currently out on bond and he has pleaded not guilty to two counts each of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide as well as endangering the welfare of a child. His next scheduled court appearance is December 5.
Dr. Phil’s Twins’ Tragic Hot Car Death Exclusive episode aired on CBS on Thursday, November 14, at 3 p.m. ET.
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