A 17-year-old boy made the gruesome discovery of his mother's body inside their Bay Ridge home Saturday, police said, finding Maria Santos Flores with a cut to her neck in what investigators are treating as a homicide.
Background
Flores, 36, was found at her residence on 85th Street near 4th Avenue in the southwestern Brooklyn neighborhood. According to her family, she worked nights as a bartender at Huatulco Sports Bar in Sunset Park and had just returned home from her shift that morning. Her husband, Antonio Hernandez, told investigators he left for work around 7:30 a.m., noting that when he took his car, Flores had not yet arrived home.
The couple has been married for three years and has two children ages 3 and 17, who were both inside the residence at the time of the crime. Hernandez said there is suspicion that someone may have followed his wife home from work, though authorities have not confirmed any specific leads on a potential suspect or motive.
Family members gathered outside the home as police processed the scene, visibly distraught over the violent loss. Flores's sister Angelica discovered the body alongside her nephew and described finding her sibling in a horrific state upon arrival. Another sister, Daisy Flores, said the family emigrated from El Salvador and described Maria as someone who "liked to help people" and devoted herself to caring for her family.
The Investigation
NYPD officers responded to the scene and recovered evidence including a bloody tissue found on the sidewalk outside the residence, which investigators marked and collected for analysis. Crime scene technicians carried evidence bags from the home to an NYPD transport vehicle as part of their processing of the homicide.
The investigation remains active with detectives working to establish a timeline of events leading up to the killing. Police have not released information about any persons of interest or potential suspects in connection with the case. The victim's husband said authorities have not yet provided the family with details about what occurred inside their home.
The homicide marks the first recorded murder in the NYPD's 68th Precinct this year, according to department crime statistics. The precinct covers Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
Key Takeaways
- Victim Maria Santos Flores, 36, was found dead with a cut to her neck at her Bay Ridge home on 85th Street near 4th Avenue
- Her 17-year-old son and sister Angelica Flores discovered the body inside the residence
- Flores worked nights as a bartender at Huatulco Sports Bar in Sunset Park; husband says family suspects someone followed her from work
- Couple's two children, ages 3 and 17, were home during the killing but unharmed
- Police collected a bloody tissue and other evidence from outside the residence
- This is the first homicide in the 68th Precinct this year; citywide murders down 23% compared to same period in 2025
What's Next
Detectives continue to process physical evidence collected from the scene and are reviewing surveillance footage from the surrounding neighborhood. Authorities have not announced any arrests or identified suspects in connection with the killing. The Medical Examiner's Office will determine the official cause of death as part of the ongoing investigation.