The mother ‘dropped’ 3 young children ‘passed through the crevice’ of the NYC child welfare agency

A New York City mother who is accused of killing her three children by drowning them on a beach on Coney Island has been granted release by the Children’s Services Administration without a psychiatric examination. .

Erin Merdy, 30, has had mental health problems for years and suffered from underappreciated postpartum depression just months before she allegedly drowned her three children, the youngest. at least 4 months old.

The city medical examiner determined last Tuesday that 7-year-old Zachary Merdy, 4-year-old Liliana Merdy and 3-month-old Oliver Bondarev had died from drowning.

Just a few months earlier, Merdy ‘passed through’ the New York City Children’s Services Administration reported the New York Daily News.

Merdy sent a scary text message to family members before her children died saying ‘the kids are gone’, which panicked police and the police search ended with The heartbreaking discovery of three unconscious children.

Merdy now faces three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of insensitivity to human life and three counts of murder with a victim under the age of 11, an NYPD spokesman said.

Liliana Stephen, 4, is seen here, playing with a doll and smiling, before she was drowned on Monday along with her two brothers by their mother Erin Merdy

The officers hid Merdy with a piece of paper as she was transported to the hospital from the area behind the ambulance

Erin Merdy, 30, is believed to have drowned her three children on Coney Island beach in the early hours of Monday morning

NYPD Detective Superintendent James Essig said the mother told police she had a dream about taking her baby into the water.

“We believe she went into the water and drowned the children… As for the motive, we will leave that to the healthcare professionals,” Essig said.

The grandmother of three children who drowned said their mother may have suffered from postpartum depression.

Jacqueline Scott, told the New York Daily News that her daughter is a good mother.

‘She may have been experiencing postpartum depression. She’s a good mother,’ she told the publication.

‘I contacted her yesterday and she said she was doing the laundry and I said I wanted to talk to the kids. I tried calling her twice on the phone and no answer. ‘

Scott added that she was among the relatives involved who tried to contact Merdy on Sunday night.

Police were called to an apartment on Neptune Avenue, Brooklyn, at 1:40 a.m. Monday after a call from a concerned family member.

Callers said they believed Merdy may have harmed her three children, and that officers attended but were unable to find the family.

At 3:15am, police received a second call from a woman ‘in distress’ walking barefoot on the boardwalk in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn.

Merdy testified that her three children were missing before they were found motionless on the beach two miles away.

The three children were found unconscious on the beach and taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead.

Erin Merdy’s apartment is guarded by Police, New York, USA, September 12, 2022

Police were called at 3:15 a.m. Monday to reports of a woman, 30, in ‘crash’ condition walking barefoot on the boardwalk in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn

‘Bright’ Zachary Mendy, 7, was one of three siblings found dead on a beach in Brooklyn on Monday

Merdy was initially taken to the police precinct on Monday but was later taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Police had previously responded to six family cases involving the grieving mother, including one that occurred on July 2 when she refused to hand over her child to her husband.

Court records show that Merdy was threatened with eviction for late paying thousands of dollars in her rent.

Alfred Brown, Zachary’s football coach, said he last saw the boy on June 25.

He told DailyMail.com: ‘This year he’s not competing, he’s supposed to be staying with his dad over the summer.

‘He always says “coach, coach, coach” – not hearing him say it today is just heartbreaking.

‘I call him Zac Attack. His mom looks pretty normal but we can all hide our problems.

‘Zach is vibrant, bright, giggling and full of life. The smile on his face is worth the world to me. ‘

Joseph, 60, a maintenance worker in the building where Merdy lives, said: ‘I’m speechless… Go and drown your child – I wonder what she was thinking and what led to it.

‘People love their children, are you burdened with responsibility? It was just a sad situation. ‘

Officials confirmed that there was no history of child abuse or neglect during a press conference

The father of one of the children is said to have told staff members at her apartment complex, pictured, that he was concerned for their safety, after their mother made several statements that she will harm them

Merdy was reported to officers that her three children were missing, before they were found unresponsive on the beach three miles away.

The children, a 7-year-old boy, 4-year-old girl and 3-month-old girl were taken to hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.

Victor Rodriguez, 54, another neighbour, added: ‘I see her often, her kids always ask if they can pet my dog.

‘Everything seemed to be fine with her but when Covid hit she looked very depressed. She’s not that friendly anymore. And keep it to yourself.

‘It’s horrible, especially when you know the kids. They are so sweet and respectful, they seem like happy kids – not the care in the world.

‘I think Covid had something to do with it. Before Covid and after Covid, it was like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – two different people. ‘

An NYPD spokesman added that there are no known cases of child abuse or neglect.

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information about the tragedy to continue.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.