This Tuesday, Paul Auster, one of the great contemporary American novelists, died. He was 77 years old and died at his home in Brooklyn from lung cancer. His death was confirmed by her friend and fellow novelist Jacki Lyden.
In addition to his illness, the author was facing a very difficult time at the family level: in just two years he had lost his son and his granddaughter due to an overdose. A tragedy that marked his family.
His son Daniel Auster, 44, and granddaughter Ruby, 10 months, died of drug overdoses. The writer's son was found dead in a subway station, surrounded by substances, just four days after being arrested for the involuntary manslaughter of his baby.
Little Ruby died from a fentanyl overdose. Apparently, Daniel took heroin and decided to take a nap with his daughter next to her, which is why the girl died in early November 2021.
It was not clear how he ingested the drugs, but the defendant admitted to having kept these substances in the bathroom. The prosecutor noted that the girl had enough drugs in her system to "knock an adult unconscious."
Daniel was released on bail on April 17 by the judge requiring $100,000 cash bail. A few days later, the novelist's son overdosed at the Washington Avenue/Clinton Street stop in New York City.
