Two 5-year-old twins were tragically found lifeless inside a Bronx apartment on Monday, with foaming at the mouth and nose, after being sent home from school with perplexing and severe symptoms earlier in the week, authorities reported.
Toxicology reports for the young boy and girl were still pending as of the discovery, which occurred at approximately 11 a.m. in a residence on East 175th Street, situated between Monroe and Topping avenues in the Morris Heights neighborhood, according to officials from the FDNY and NYPD. The children’s mother promptly called 911 upon finding them unresponsive.
EMS arrived and pronounced the children deceased at 11:30 a.m., with rigor mortis already having set in, as confirmed by a police official.
While more details about the circumstances surrounding their demise emerged on Tuesday, the precise cause and manner of their deaths remained shrouded in mystery. Investigations revealed that the twins had been unwell for several days and had been sent home from school earlier in the week. They continued to stay home on Monday.
According to ABC7, The exact nature of their illness remained unclear, but the young boy had been suffering from cold-like symptoms for a week or two, which included vomiting and discharging green mucus. The girl had been experiencing vomiting, dealing with an ear infection, and displaying erratic behavior, as reported by the police.
The specific illness afflicting the children remained undetermined. Both youngsters were found foaming at the mouth and nose, following earlier reports of strange and irrational behavior at school, including biting and spitting. The boy had previously been diagnosed with special needs, while his sister was in the process of receiving a diagnosis.
The NYPD indicated that there were no indications of foul play, strangulation, or physical injuries on their bodies, and there was no history of domestic violence within the household. FDNY members conducted air quality tests, which showed no signs of carbon monoxide, and the police confirmed that there were no narcotics or drug paraphernalia present in the home.
No evidence of any criminal activity was discovered inside the residence. Law enforcement noted that the apartment was adequately heated and fully stocked with essentials for the children. The mother reported that she had last seen her children alive around 5 a.m. The father, a healthcare professional, had reportedly urged her to take the children to the emergency room prior to their tragic deaths.
The father, who was not present when the children were discovered, was questioned by the police on Monday afternoon after rushing home from his job as a home health care attendant in Port Chester. The mother, on the other hand, had been admitted to the hospital due to shock and emotional trauma.
The heartbreaking news of the twins’ deaths, just one week before Christmas, left neighbors in shock. They described the mother as loving and attentive. “Every time they see you, they would hug you,” neighbor Jenny Rodriguez recalled. “It’s so heartbreaking.”
Pastor Randholf Andujar, who operates a food pantry in the building’s basement where the twins resided, interacted with the family regularly. He mentioned that he would often see the twins and their mother at the front of the line every week.
“She was really sweet, always taking care of them. They were respectful, the lady was respectful,” Andujar said. “Every time they’d see you, they would hug you…nice kids. It’s just heartbreaking.”
The family had immigrated from Ghana, and it was noted that the children had not been tested for COVID-19.
A law enforcement official suggested that the deaths appeared to be a medical tragedy, pending autopsy results. The mother had been actively involved in the children’s routine medical care and education.
