Slain NYPD Det. Miosotis Familia's children hope bill to close loophole denying them access to her pension finally passes
NEW YORK -- The New York State Legislature is set to consider a bill that would help the orphaned children of NYPD Det. Miosotis Familia, who was murdered in 2017.
Familia's oldest daughter took on the role of raising her younger siblings. But because of a legal loophole, she's being denied lifetime benefits which are typically given to the families of fallen officers.
July 2023 will mark six years since the execution-style death of Familia. The 12-year NYPD veteran was shot to death as she sat in a marked mobile command vehicle in the Bronx.
Genesis Villella, Familia's daughter, was 20 when her mother was killed and she became the legal caretaker of her younger siblings, Peter and Delilal Vega.
"My mom loved this city and she gave up her life protecting it, and after she died there was nothing protecting us," said Villella.
Under the current law, children of single-parent cops who die on the job are not entitled to their parents' pension for life, but spouses and parents are. Children are entitled to the benefit until they turn 23 and they must be enrolled full-time in college.
Villella's younger siblings are 19, so they only have a few more years left to rely on the funds. Villella dropped out of school to become their caretaker and says she took on the same role any spouse or parent of a fallen NYPD detective would have.
"I will be taking care of my kids, my brother and sister, forever," said Villella. "And they need me, a lot more than other children."
Sen. Gustavo Rivera and Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz introduced legislation that would grant Villella and her siblings their mother's pension for life.
Two previous legislative efforts did not get enough support. There are only two weeks left to advance the bill in the current session.
"Because when the laws were written, this type of situation was not contemplated," said Dinowitz. "Detective Familia served our city, and we have to do the right thing by her."
The chair of the Assembly Governmental Employees Committee said she and her colleagues are ready to advance the bill, but the process requires New York City's approval first.
A spokesperson for the New York City Council said it has not yet received the request to review the legislation.
