HUNT MA KILLER
Yelling heard night before kids found her dead
A male visitor was in a Bronx apartment the night before a mother was found dead in her bed by her two horrified young children, cops said Monday.
Luz Perez’s frightened kids frantically screamed for help after discovering their mom’s bleeding body in her bed around 8 a.m. Sunday, and neighbors dialed 911 after the 5-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl were seen banging on the window of their first-floor, E. 187th St. apartment in Belmont.
Perez, 40, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators initially thought Perez had been stabbed. But on Monday, police said they were no longer sure about the cause of death.
Police said yelling, followed by silence, was heard
p y night before the visitor left.
Sources said Perez had an active order of protection against the father of the children.
Devonte McCalmon, 13, who lives on the third floor, was leaving the building on Sunday when he heard
gy the window of their firstfloor apartment.
“They were by the window, but the window was closed,” Devonte said.
“The boy, he was like, ‘Can you help us? My mom is dead. She’s bleeding through her mouth.’ I thought said.
When he walked away, the boy hollered again.
“‘Don’t go,’ ” Devonte said the boy cried. “‘Call 911.’ ”
“That’s when I took it seriously,” Devonte said. “I went by the door. I tried to open it, but I couldn’t, so I ran upstairs and called my aunt. I told her everything and she came down. She was trying to open the door, but she couldn’t. They called 911, and [police] came.”
Devonte could not forget the look on the boy’s face.
“I was shocked, and I was sad because the boy, he’s only like 5 years old,” Devonte said. “They’re going to grow up without their mother, for the rest of their life.”
Medics took the children, who were not injured, to St. Barnabas Hospital for evaluation. Perez’s family have since taken custody of the children, sources said. it was a joke,” he