Deputies: Rome Police Officer Leaves His 4-Month-Old in Car, Child Dies

WESTERN, N.Y. -- The Oneida County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the death of a 4-month-old baby in the town of Western.

Deputies say 4-month-old Michael Fanfarillo was found unresponsive in his father's vehicle on Elmer Hill Road Monday afternoon.

Officials are not releasing the circumstances surrounding the baby's death. They are saying however, that the child was left in his father's vehicle for an extended period of time.

The child's father, Mark Fanfarillo is a Rome city police officer.

The Oneida County Sheriff's Office chief deputy says the baby's parents are devastated.

"The parents and the family are extremely distraught. This is a very horrific loss. They've been very cooperative with law enforcement at this time," said Oneida County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jonathan Owens.

The Onondaga County medical examiner is performing an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Rome Police Department Capt. Tim Bates said "this is a tragic situation," and his thoughts and prayers are with the family.