FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Raymond Worrall
PHONE: (201) 795-6400 Ext. 6737
EMAIL: rworrall@hcpo.org
DATE: Wednesday, November 6, 2019
PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE INVESTIGATES DEATH OF WEST NEW YORK WOMAN; MAN ARRESTED AND CHARGED IN CONNECTION TO THE CASE
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:
On November 1, 2019, at approximately 3:40 a.m., members of the West New York Police Department responded to 214 63rd Street in West New York on reports of an unconscious woman. Upon arrival, West New York Police Officers discovered an unresponsive female in the vestibule area of that location.
The female was identified as Irma Contreras Flores, age 32, of West New York. She was transported by Emergency Medical Services to Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen. She was pronounced dead at approximately 4:20 a.m. at Palisades Medical Center. The exact cause of her death is pending investigation by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
A preliminary investigation was conducted by members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office with the assistance of the West New York Police Department.
On Monday, November 4, 2019, members of the Prosecutor’s Office arrested Edwin Velasco-Salazar, age 22, of West New York and charged him in connection with this case. He was arrested without incident at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Jersey City.
Velasco-Salazar has been charged with Aggravated Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1, a second-degree crime; Endangering an Injured Victim in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.2, a third-degree crime; and Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2, a second-degree crime.
Velasco-Salazar was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny pending his first appearance. The Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion for pretrial detention of the defendant.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office continues to investigate this case with the assistance of the West New Police Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s official website at http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential.
The above charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).