ABC News executive producer Dax Tejera’s wife was arrested on two charges of child endangerment in the hours following his death on Dec. 23, a spokesperson for the NYPD’s public information office told Variety.
Veronica Tejera was booked on two counts of “acting in a manner injurious to a child” after her 37-year-old husband’s fatal heart attack last week, according to a police statement.
While a specific timeline is unclear, the NYPD spokesperson said police responded to a 911 call at 11 p.m. that evening, reporting “unattended children” at 50 Vanderbilt Avenue in Manhattan. That address houses The Yale Club, a members-only hotel. Police said a preliminary investigation “revealed that a 2-year-old female and a 5-month-old female were left alone inside of a hotel room for an extended period of time.”
Veronica and Dax Tejera shared two children, a 5-month-old girl and a 2-year-old girl. The Tejeras reside in Chevy Chase, Md. Variety attempted to reach Veronica Tejera through numerous channels. She did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The late Tejera was an EP on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
According to the NYPD statement, Veronica Tejera was handed a desk ticket appearance after her arrest. A desk ticket requires a person to appear in criminal court at an undisclosed future date.
Dax Tejera’s death was announced internally at ABC News on Dec. 24 by division president Kim Godwin, who noted his “energy, passion and love” for his work. He joined ABC News in 2017 as a senior producer. He went on to helm “This Week” in early 2020. Previously, he executive produced “America With Jorge Ramos.”