A contentious custody hearing led to the brutal Staten Island stabbing death last month of a father who was just trying to spend more time with his daughter, the victim’s family said on Thursday.
The bitter visitation battle over the 4-year-old girl spilled from the tense courtroom and into the street, where Desuan Baker Dunning, 32, found himself clashing with his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend,
Moments later, Baker Dunning was mortally wounded, bleeding out on a Stapleton street from a stab wound to his chest before he was even able to see his little girl one last time.
Suspect Sean Alston, 29, was arrested Monday and charged with murder, manslaughter, assault and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the Nov. 29 slaying, authorities said.
“He died for his daughter,” said Baker Dunning’s horrified wife, Marcella Morton, 35, who was at the hearing and on the sidewalk where her husband died.
“He loved his daughter so much, and was fighting to see her more.”
“Now she does not have a father. It’s just upsetting. You know, the person that I feel most for is [her]. She will never know a father’s love … her real father.”
Morton said she and Baker Dunning were in their car near the courthouse after the hearing when Alston and the 4-year-old’s mother, Erika Rosario, pulled up beside them on Wave St. near Bay St. and a shouting match ensued.
The men got out of the car, and the argument got physical. A short time later, Baker Dunning was on the ground.
“My husband gets up. He’s like, ‘I was stabbed. I was stabbed.’ He falls in the middle of my car. And our car right now is part of the murder investigation, so I haven’t had that back yet, and my husband falls in front of the car. I call 911. I’m putting pressure on his wounds. … There’s a lot of blood. And then 911, they eventually came, the firefighters and the police.”
First responders rushed Baker Dunning to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Also arrested was Rosario, who was charged with assault, harassment and hindering prosecution. Cops said she helped Alston escape.
“I dropped him off at Howard Ave.,” she told cops, according to a source.
Rosario was released on bail.
Morton said Rosario is about eight months pregnant. Even so, Morton said she has since obtained a restraining order against Rosario — she said Rosario took a swing at her while the two men fought.
“But I’m trying not to hurt her, because she’s pregnant,” Morton said.
Morton said Alston came after her after allegedly stabbing her husband.
“Sean chases me, so I’m running, Morton said. “And then, you know, I almost got hit by a car because it’s still traffic going on.”
She said Alston gave up the chase and he and Rosario got in their car and drove away.
Alston’s criminal history includes a plea deal in 2017 on an attempted murder charge. He served six years in prison and hadn’t been out of jail a year before he was arrested again and charged with Baker Dunning’s death.
A lawyer for Alston declined to comment.
Baker Dunning lived in Brooklyn and worked for the MTA, according to Morton.
She said Baker Dunning and Rosario split up in 2022. Morton and Baker Dunning got married this year in January.
“He wanted 50-50 [custody]. That’s what he wanted,” Morton said. “He loved his daughter. He wanted to spend as much time with his daughter as possible, and [Rosario] was making it very, very difficult for him. And it led to his death. It led to his murder.”
