WHITE PLAINS- Westchester County leaders and workers joined the family of fallen county caseworker Maria Coto last Thursday evening for a vigil in Coto’s memory.
Coto, a longtime caseworker with the Westchester County Department of Social Services, died June 19 following injuries sustained May 14 in Peekskill when a community member brutally attacked her after Coto mistakenly knocked on his door. The assailant, 31-year old Peekskill resident Hasseem Jenkins, was initially charged with attempted murder and assault charges that are expected to be upgraded following Coto’s death.
Memorializing Coto were CSEA union leaders, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, members of Coto’s family and one of the families that had been on Coto’s caseload.
Coto’s longtime supervisor at DSS, Linda Argiento, noted that caseworkers do vital outreach in Westchester communities knowing there are risks involved, but believing in their mission of public service.
“Our service to others is what we come armed with,” said Argiento, describing Coto as funny, passionate and a great friend and colleague.
CSEA Westchester County Local President Hattie Adams said the memorial gathering was an opportunity to celebrate Coto’s life and accomplishments.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said Coto made a tremendous impact on the people she served and emphasized that every worker deserves to make it home safe at the end of the work day.
“Her job was to make sure that other people are safe, and it is a terrible, terrible irony that in the act of her doing her job, the job that others of you do, she lost her life,” Latimer told vigil attendees.
Jenkins is expected to return to court in mid-July.
