Bruno Castro, 78, dies after being found outside Baldwin senior housing complex

Nassau County police have identified the 78-year-old man who died after being found outside a Baldwin senior apartment complex Monday morning as Bruno Castro.

The police were called at about 9:15 a.m. Monday to the Halandia Shores apartment complex on Grand Avenue for a person in need of medical attention.

Castro, who was first identified as being 79, was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead Monday morning, police said.

The Nassau County Police Department did not release the cause of his death or say if he died as a result of exposure.

The morning temperatures Monday were in the teens with wind chills near zero.

A home health aide had visited Castro Sunday and left about 7 p.m., police said. The aide talked to him again at 9 p.m. He returned to Castro's apartment at 7 a.m. Monday but Castro was not there, according to the police.

It appeared Castro may have left the apartment before the aide returned and tripped outside, the police said, adding that he was found shortly after 9 a.m. 

Castro's family declined to comment Tuesday. 

Several Nassau police vehicles, including a crime scene search unit and detectives were parked Monday at the back of the complex in front of mounds of snow and yellow police tape. On Tuesday, the police said foul play had been ruled out.

The apartment complex is federally subsidized through funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The senior apartment complex advertises amenities on its website, including a 24-hour building superintendent, call-for-aid services and meal deliveries from a local food bank. 

Officials with apartment complex management could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts by Newsday on Monday and Tuesday.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.