Woman indicted on tampering charge

Husband was charged in their foster child’s death

The wife of a Rotterdam man charged in January with causing the death of their 4-year-old foster son was arraigned earlier this week on a three-count indictment that accuses her of tampering with evidence in the case, according to the Schenectady County district attorney’s office.

The boy’s 5-year-old brother, who was also being cared for by Latrisha and Dequan Greene, also suffered injuries, authorities said.

Charlie Garay died at Ellis Hospital from injuries Dequan Greene is charged with inflicting. Prosecutors contend Latrisha Greene warned her husband after the child was brought to the hospital on Dec. 20.

“She’s at the hospital and she sends him a text that he needs to clean up the house,” Assistant District Attorney Christina Tremante-Pelham said, explaining the top count of tampering with physical evidence, a felony, that Latrisha Greene faces.

Latrisha Greene, who appeared in county court Monday with her attorney Danielle Neroni, is also charged with two counts of misdemeanor child endangerment.

She pleaded not guilty and was released pending a future court date.

Neroni did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Dequan Greene remains behind bars without bail charged with murder and manslaughter and other charges. He is being represented by attorney James Tyner.

Tremante-pelham said the district attorney’s office has handed over evidence to the lawyers representing the husband and wife.

In December, police and paramedics went to the couple’s Broadway residence for a 911 call reporting that Charlie was in respiratory distress.

Paramedics could not revive the boy, who was later pronounced dead at Ellis Hospital.

Dequan Greene, 27, told authorities that Charlie fell out of a child’s chair, began slurring his speech, and passed out. Police say he told others that the child choked.

Authorities say Green called his wife, who was out running errands, instead of calling for help, and only after she got home did the woman call 911.

Rotterdam police say Latrisha Greene texted her husband from Ellis Hospital shortly after speaking to police about Charlie’s death, asking him to clean the house.

Medical investigators say Charlie died from extensive internal injuries to his liver and intestines caused by blunt force trauma.

His surviving older brother was taken from the Greenes and treated at Albany Medical Center Hospital for his injuries including bruises, cuts and a torn frenulum, the fold of skin beneath the tongue.

Authorities say Charlie and his brother are from Albany County and that Schenectady County found them a home because there wasn’t a foster family available to take both boys in their home county.