5-year-old twins found dead under unknown circumstances in 'unfortunate tragedy' at Bronx apartment

BRONX, NEW YORK CITY: On Monday morning, authorities reported the tragic discovery of two five-year-old twins found dead in their Bronx apartment.

The mother of the boy and girl made the heartbreaking discovery at around 11:20 am in their residence on E. 175th St near Topping Ave in Morris Heights.

While the cause of death for the young victims was not immediately known, NYPD Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley mentioned during a press conference on Monday afternoon that the children had been unwell for at least a week.

They were sent home from school as soon as symptoms appeared.

Benjamin Gurley hopes it was not a crime

Gurley stated that the children were already deceased when the ambulance arrived.

He expressed the heartbreaking scene, saying, "When you go up and see two 5-year-olds laying on the floor unresponsive and cold at this time of the year, you can imagine what the family is going through. You can imagine what the mother and the father are going through."

According to police sources, there were no overt indications of trauma on their bodies.

Members of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and the NYPD's Crime Scene Unit were waiting at the building to process the apartment while a search warrant was being obtained later on Monday, according to Daily News.

“At this point, we have to do our job as far as the crime scene,” stated NYPD Patrol Borough Bronx Chief Gurley. “Hopefully, it’s not a crime scene. Hopefully, it’s an unfortunate tragedy.”

Where were the parents during the incident?

According to police sources, the father had already left for work when the incident occurred, but he hurried home when he realized the kids weren't breathing.

The mother was taking a shower and when she came out she found her children cold and stiff, the New York Post reported.

Gurley mentioned, "The father is currently at the 46th Precinct cooperating. The mother was taken to the hospital for treatment. While she is not physically injured, she is emotionally devastated."

As the mourning mother underwent examination at BronxCare Health System, firefighters dismissed the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning. Simultaneously, detectives initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the children's deaths.

Given that the investigation is still in its preliminary stages, Gurley emphasized, "At this time, we do not know if there's any foul play, as the investigation is very fresh. As a result of the investigation, we have a crime scene set up upstairs."

What do neighbors say?

Terror gripped the neighbors in the building, leaving them in shock. A neighbor known as Deborah recalled her interactions with the girl and how she would occasionally encounter the family.

Deborah observed, “They seemed happy. The boy didn’t respond that well. The little girl was happy.”

The family had never previously contacted the NYPD from within the community. Reflecting on the mother, 65-year-old Deborah remarked, "She seemed like she was a nice lady. She stayed in the house a lot with the kids."

The family was characterized as "good neighbors, good people" by a local man. “They were normal kids. Every normal kid running around, playing,” 51-year-old Ernesto Fredericko remarked. “It didn’t seem like there were any issues.”