The deaths of three younger kids who had been discovered unconscious alongside the water’s fringe of Coney Island have been dominated homicides, by the New York Metropolis medical expert.
Officers stated that Oliver Bondarev, 3 months outdated; Lilana Merdy, 4 years outdated; and Zachary Merdy, 7 years outdated, drowned.
Police discovered their mom, Erin Merdy, 30, soaking moist and barefoot on the boardwalk after a relative known as 911 early Monday involved that Merdy might need damage the kids. Merdy was with different members of the family however not her kids, NYPD Chief of Division Kenneth Corey stated.
Police finally discovered her youngsters alongside the shoreline. Regardless of efforts to revive them, the children had been pronounced useless at an area hospital.
No costs have been filed within the case.
The town’s Administration for Kids’s Companies wouldn’t say whether or not the household had any historical past with youngster protecting providers.
“Our prime precedence is defending the security and wellbeing of all kids in New York Metropolis. We’re investigating this tragedy with the NYPD,” a spokesperson for the company stated in an e mail.
Data present that Merdy was served an eviction discover for her Coney Island residence simply earlier than the Covid-19 eviction moratorium expired in January. Those that knew the household stated she appeared overwhelmed with the obligations of getting younger youngsters plus a new child.
Allen McFarland, founding father of the Coney Island Coaching Youth Silverbacks, a soccer crew that Merdy’s 7-year-old performed with for a few 12 months, stated Merdy pulled Zachary from the crew a number of months in the past.
“She sort of took him out abruptly,” McFarland stated.
He described Zachary as a quiet child who was at all times smiling.
“Good, loving, energetic,” McFarland stated.
He stated that coaches went out of their means to verify Zachary constantly made it to apply, regularly selecting him up and dropping him off, McFarland added.
On lengthy days when the crew traveled to video games, the coaches would feed youngsters breakfast and typically dinner. Zachary was at all times grateful for the meals, McFarland stated.
“These youngsters bought massive appetites. Generally they need seconds, typically they needed even thirds. Zach was one of many youngsters that needed seconds and thirds,” he stated.
His mother got here to just one or two video games however was well mannered when she confirmed up, McFarland stated.
“She was very appreciative of us working with him, and she or he appeared excited to come back. She was undoubtedly enthusiastic about him desirous to be part of soccer and truly sticking with it,” he stated.
The crew honored Zachary at their apply Monday, releasing balloons formed just like the quantity 15 — his jersey quantity.
“We stated a prayer for him afterwards and closed the prayer with ‘Zachary, we love you,’” McFarland stated.
“It was very troublesome,” he stated. “Numerous youngsters had been very spaced out in a way. I attempted to maintain some normality and a few freedom to permit them to only go play and play with freedom away from the circumstance, however a whole lot of them simply took it very exhausting.”
