Girl Accused Of Drowning Her Children Confronted Eviction, Custody Battle

A Brooklyn mother who’s accused of drowning her three kids was coping with an eviction in addition to custody battle and psychological well being points main as much as their tragic demise on Monday.

Erin Merdy, 30, of Coney Island, reportedly owed over $10,000 in again lease for her Neptune Avenue house the place she lived together with her kids – 3-month-old Oliver, 4-year-old Liliana and 7-year-old Zachary – and was being threatened with eviction since January after the COVID-19 eviction moratorium was lifted, based on the New York Publish.

Merdy had stopped paying her $1,531-a-month lease in July of final 12 months, and had been served an eviction discover earlier than the moratorium even expired, the Publish studies citing court docket data.

Custody Battle, Eviction Loomed Giant Over Distraught Mom Prior To Monday’s Tragedy, Household Says

Merdy’s uncle, Levy Stephen, additionally revealed his niece was within the midst of a custody dispute with Zachary’s father earlier than Monday’s tragedy. Stephen mentioned the boy’s father “had points with the way in which she was elevating” him after “going off of the grid.”

Erin Merdy drowned her 3 little kids –

Mother instructed household she drowned her 3 kids at Coney Island seaside https://t.co/rVbKG3CHqa by way of @nypmetro pic.twitter.com/WfYpw7UKKk

— Stan Americana (@americana_stan) September 13, 2022

“He had points with the way in which she was elevating the kid, from what I perceive,” Levy mentioned. “She type of went off the grid after that, modified her numbers. She wasn’t on social media — not less than to not the purpose that I may discover her.”

Authorities say round 1 a.m. Monday, involved kin known as police to report Merdy may be drunk and might need completed one thing to hurt her kids. A number of hours later, she was discovered by police showing dazed strolling barefoot on the Coney Island seaside in a bathrobe.

Legislation enforcement sources instructed the Publish that she had instructed kin she “drowned all three youngsters” earlier than cops arrived.

Her kids’s our bodies had been pulled out of the water on the shoreline simply three blocks away from their residence, and had been finally pronounced lifeless at Coney Island Hospital.

Warning, graphic content material under:

Holy shit… That is heartbreaking. A mom with a historical past of psychological well being points is suspected of drowning her three younger youngsters on Coney Island seaside early Monday having confessed to relations that she murdered them. Erin Merdy’s kids had been discovered unresponsive round… pic.twitter.com/IB7NzRZ99A

— That Man Shane (@ProfanityNewz) September 13, 2022

Household Of Mom Speaks Out On Her Psychological Sickness, Saying They “Knew She Was Struggling”

Now, her household is talking out on the psychological heath points that got here together with these different points, with an aunt, Dine Stephen, saying she “knew she was struggling” and that the household “has a historical past of psychological sickness.”

“I knew she was struggling within the sense she was looking for her approach by means of life. On this household we do have a historical past of psychological sickness to various levels. A number of of us have battled with bipolar dysfunction, however I didn’t know her psychological struggles,” the aunt mentioned.

The aunt added that whereas she was “looking for a approach for her kids… it was the psychological points that took over.”

“I simply knew she was looking for a approach for her kids, a option to get on her toes. … It was the psychological points that took over.”

One other uncle, Eddy Stephen, instructed the Publish he was “speechless” when he heard from kin that “Erin killed her three kids.”

Her uncle mentioned Merry “did a bit loopy stuff,” however that it was “nothing that may result in harming her kids or herself.

“She did a bit loopy stuff, however nothing that may result in harming her kids or herself,” Eddy instructed the outlet.

Uncles Say Younger Mom Did “A Little Ingesting,” Didn’t Appear Secure

When requested about Merdy’s substance use habits, Eddy mentioned she “used to celebration right here and there, perform a little consuming,” however that he didn’t see any drug abuse “or see that she was actually irresponsible.”

“She used to love to celebration right here and there, perform a little consuming, however I didn’t see any drug abuse or see that she was actually irresponsible. It’s simply tragic. I don’t know. She by no means gave us the signal that she would damage her kids. She cherished her kids.”

And one other uncle, Jean Stephen, 64, instructed the Publish that Merdy didn’t deal with relationships nicely and didn’t appear to “have her life collectively” whereas including she “didn’t appear secure.”

“I don’t suppose she may deal with a relationship or something like that. She didn’t seem to be she was that type of particular person. She didn’t seem to be she was secure,” the relative mentioned.

Mom Failed To Deliver Son To Current Custody Alternate, Pulled Youngster From Youth Soccer Workforce Prior To Deaths

A 3rd uncle, Levy Stephen, shined a bit extra gentle on the timeline behind Merdy’s psychological well being troubles.

He mentioned the 2 was involved “on a regular basis,” however that in 2015 or 2016, “she disappeared off the face of the earth.” Levy mentioned that “now, (he’s) faulting himself” for not discovering a option to get in contact together with her, and puzzled if he had if the tragedy would have been averted.

“There was a time when Erin and I had been involved on a regular basis, however in 2015, 2016, she disappeared off the Earth. I didn’t know get in contact together with her,” Merdy’s uncle, Levy Stephen, instructed the Publish.

“Now I’m faulting myself for that. She clearly wanted assist, and you may’t assist however suppose, ‘Perhaps I may have…’”

Legislation enforcement sources mentioned that in July, Merdy had did not carry her son to a custody trade forward of a six-week go to scheduled with the kid’s father.

And in Could, Merdy pulled the boy from his youth soccer group with none rationalization, based on his coach Allen McFarland, who mentioned “she seemed to be juggling so much.”

McFarland broke the information of Zachary’s demise to his former teammates at follow Monday night time, the Publish studies. In a closing farewell, the younger soccer gamers launched balloons with Zachary’s jersey quantity 15 into the sky and yelled “Zachary, we love you.”