Police in New York City announced on September 14 that a woman had been arrested on murder charges, days after her three kids were found unconscious on a Coney Island beach and died later.
Cops said that among the charges filed against Erin Merdy were murder with depraved indifference, murder of a victim under the age of 11, and intentional murder. The murder charges were announced after the New York City medical examiner ruled that the three kids' deaths were homicides, per NBC News.
According to officials, three-month-old Oliver Bondarev, four-year-old Lilana Merdy, and seven-year-old Zachary Merdy all drowned. Cops found the children's mom soaking wet and barefoot on the boardwalk after a relative called 911 early on September 12.
Officers found kids unconscious on Coney Island beach
The family member was concerned that the mother might have hurt her children. New York Police Chief of Department Kenneth Corey said she was with other family members but not her kids when cops found her.
Police officers canvassed streets, beaches, and a local hospital when searching for Merdy.
Another 911 call came in directing the cops to a specific location, Brighton 6th Street and Riegelmann Boardwalk in nearby Brighton Beach, according to ABC 7. The police spokesperson said the caller reported about a despondent woman.
The search for the children continued via air, ground, and harbor units. New York City Police eventually found her kids along the shoreline, about 2 miles from where the mother was spotted and just a half-mile south of the woman's apartment.
Corey said that officers found the children unconscious on the shoreline at West 35th Street in Coney Island around 4:42 a.m. However, their efforts to revive the children proved unsuccessful, as they were all pronounced dead at a hospital.
Dad mourns the death of his children
New York City's Administration for Children's Services would not confirm whether the Merdy family had any history with child protective services. A spokesperson for the agency said in an email that their top priority is protecting the safety and wellbeing of all children in New York City, and they are investigating this tragedy with the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
Records revealed that Merdy was served an eviction notice for her apartment in Coney Island just before the COVID-19 eviction moratorium expired in January. Those who knew the Merdys said the mother appeared overwhelmed with the responsibilities of having young children plus a newborn baby.
Grieving dad Derrick Merdy told CNN that his 7-year-old son was a kind, generous person with a special humility about him. He said that anybody who met his son knew that he was special. Zachary loved the video game character Sonic the Hedgehog, and Derrick thinks he spent so much money buying him every last one of them.
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