Tenia Campbell: New York mother sentenced to 20 years for suffocating twin daughters in car

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: On Monday, January 29, a woman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for killing her twin 2-year-old daughters by suffocating them to death and leaving their bodies in a family van before running into a police officer.

Tenia Campbell, 28, of New York, entered a guilty plea on December 13, 2023, in a Suffolk County courtroom to two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Jaida Campbell and Jasmine Campbell.

Tenia Campbell admitted to killing her twin daughters

The Suffolk County District Attorney, Raymond A Tierney, stated in a statement made available to Law & Crime, "These two young lives were cut short by the one person who was supposed to love and protect them."

"Although the 20-year sentence here resolves this sad case, it will not bring back these girls."

According to the authorities, on June 27, 2019, at around 2:37 pm, the defendant's mother called 911 to report that Campbell was threatening to kill the kids while driving the family van.

As per CBS News reports, Campbell acknowledged over the phone that she had intentions of "killing herself and her babies" and expressed remorse, stating she "was sorry but didn't want to live anymore."

The defendant reportedly stated, "I killed them with my bare hands," and mentioned she was heading to Montauk Point to "find the ocean and walk into it so she could be with her babies in heaven," according to the outlet, citing information from Campbell's mother.

Victims' grandmother claimed Tenia Campbell had a history of mental illness

The victims' grandmother reportedly stated that the suspect, who was described as having a "very long history" of mental illness, had been acting "very irrational and angry" before the killings.

Prosecutors stated in their press release that "law enforcement launched a large-scale search for Campbell and her daughters between the areas of Medford and Montauk."

They further said, "At approximately 4:00 pm, an East Hampton Police Officer spotted the van just off Montauk Highway, a few miles west of Montauk Point."

The officer found Campbell outside the van, and unfortunately, Jasmine and Jaida were discovered deceased in their car seats. Following this discovery, their mother confessed to smothering them to death.