NJ - Mother charged with drowning and stabbing 2 toddler daughters - June 26, 2024

[Clearsky]

Mom accused of drowning, stabbing toddler daughters at NJ home

Naomi Elkins, 27, was arrested on Tuesday.

nypost.com

Naomi Elkins, 27, was arrested Tuesday, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced.

 

[Lilibet]

Poor babies! The article said she’s married and has a masters degree. Postpartum psychosis? Or?

 

[tlcya]

what on earth?? Her mugshot. Her expression in the mugshot. Not trying to jump to conclusions here but some sort of psychotic break?
-----------------------------
Elkins is being held at the Ocean County jail ahead of a detention hearing, tentaively scheduled for 9 a.m, Monday. Her first appearance will be held virtually Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Mom drowned her daughters, ages 1 and 3, at N.J. home, authorities say

 

[Lilibet]

what on earth?? Her mugshot. Her expression in the mugshot. Not trying to jump to conclusions here but some sort of psychotic break?
-----------------------------
Elkins is being held at the Ocean County jail ahead of a detention hearing, tentaively scheduled for 9 a.m, Monday. Her first appearance will be held virtually Wednesday at 1 p.m.
Mom drowned her daughters, ages 1 and 3, at N.J. home, authorities say

That’s what got me too. She looks so out of it/medicated.

 

[Goecke]

Her younger daughter was 1, isn't that pretty late to experience postpartum psychosis? It could definitely be a psychotic break or other mental illness (she doesn't *look* mentally well, that's for sure) but I'm skeptical it's postpartum.

 

[Lilibet]

Her younger daughter was 1, isn't that pretty late to experience postpartum psychosis? It could definitely be a psychotic break or other mental illness (she doesn't *look* mentally well, that's for sure) but I'm skeptical it's postpartum.

Thanks. I checked and you’re right that postpartum psychosis develops soon after birth. If untreated it can last for months and become more dangerous the longer it goes untreated.

Postpartum Psychosis: What It Is, Symptoms & Treatment

Postpartum psychosis is a condition that disrupts a person’s sense of reality after they give birth. This is a mental health emergency that needs immediate care.

my.clevelandclinic.org

Postpartum depression, on the other hand, can develop up to a year later. But it’s not as dangerous, even though it can include thoughts of harming the baby, though rarely acted upon.

Postpartum depression: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Postpartum depression is moderate to severe depression in a woman after she has given birth. It may occur soon after delivery or up to a year later. Most of the time, it occurs within the first 3 months

medlineplus.gov

Postpartum depression - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org

 

[Knox]

Mom accused of drowning, stabbing toddler daughters at NJ home

Naomi Elkins, 27, was arrested on Tuesday.

nypost.com

Naomi Elkins, 27, was arrested Tuesday, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced.

View attachment 513350

From your link-

"At the scene, police found Hatzolah Medical Services — a Jewish volunteer ambulance program that is common in religious communities — performing lifesaving measures on two girls, ages 1 and 3".

I googled HMS - they provide their services free of charge to anyone in need. Lakewood is said to have a very large Orthodox Jewish community. What a bright spot in an otherwise ugly story.

Prayers for everyone effected by the murder of these two children

 

[tlcya]

The New Jersey woman allegedly began to have “concerning thoughts,” after her husband went out of state for a business trip last month, according to charging documents in a newly-filed double homicide case.
[snip]
Authorities allege in the charging documents that Elkins told them “she counted to 50 multiple times to ensure she held them underwater for enough time.”
Afterward, the New Jersey mother allegedly “realized that she had done something wrong,” and called Hatzolah Medical Services — first in Brooklyn, N.Y. and then closer by in Lakewood, N.J.
N.J. Daycare Worker Accused of Drowning Her 2 Kids Allegedly Said She Did It for 'Religious Purposes'

 

[Knox]

I thought this might be the case, but wanted to see what information would be released. It wipp be interesting to to see how the details unfold. Why was she left alone with the children?

 

[Lilibet]

I thought this might be the case, but wanted to see what information would be released. It wipp be interesting to to see how the details unfold. Why was she left alone with the children?

BBM

And if she has a “well-documented history of severe mental illness” I would also wonder if she was effectively medicated. It’s so sad. Those poor babies.

“The sad truth is, Naomi Elkins has a well-documented history of severe mental illness which has absolutely played a major role in these devastating events,” her defense lawyer, Mitchell J. Ansell, said in an emailed statement, adding that the Elkins family was “deeply saddened by the tragic events that have occurred involving Naomi Elkins and her two young children.”

 

[MissMalowe]

Says her husband left a month prior for work. I wonder if the stress of "single parenting" and maintaining everything at home alone contributed to some sort of mental break. Or perhaps it was her spouse who made sure she took her medications and in his absence, she wasnt taking them? Or I wonder if prescriptions were recently switched or dosage was changed?

She looks GONE in her mugshot.

Or another possibility: maybe her attorney's statement is true but good defense attorney speak/interpretation? "...well documented history of severe mental illness" could mean "her medical records indicate she was treated 12 years ago for depression or PTSD or anxiety...."

These days you'd probably be hard-pressed to find an adult who wasn't treated for a bout of depression or anxiety at some point in their life, but I have a feeling she has more serious issues and this isn't the case but offering it as another theory just in case.

 

[Knox]

Says her husband left a month prior for work. I wonder if the stress of "single parenting" and maintaining everything at home alone contributed to some sort of mental break. Or perhaps it was her spouse who made sure she took her medications and in his absence, she wasnt taking them? Or I wonder if prescriptions were recently switched or dosage was changed?

She looks GONE in her mugshot.

Or another possibility: maybe her attorney's statement is true but good defense attorney speak/interpretation? "...well documented history of severe mental illness" could mean "her medical records indicate she was treated 12 years ago for depression or PTSD or anxiety...."

These days you'd probably be hard-pressed to find an adult who wasn't treated for a bout of depression or anxiety at some point in their life, but I have a feeling she has more serious issues and this isn't the case but offering it as another theory just in case.

Thats not what the article states- it says her husband went out of town on a business trip last month. Then goes on to state on May 24th, when she brought the kids home fron the daycare- where she WORKED, she had disturbing thoughts. Yikes, documented history of mental illness and she works at a daycare?

Then the thoughts returned on June 25th, thats when she killed them. Not clear if the husband was in town/home when this happened?

I wonder how religion played a role?

 

[MissMalowe]

Thats not what the article states- it says her husband went out of town on a business trip last month. Then goes on to state on May 24th, when she brought the kids home fron the daycare- where she WORKED, she had disturbing thoughts. Yikes, documented history of mental illness and she works at a daycare?

Then the thoughts returned on June 25th, thats when she killed them. Not clear if the husband was in town/home when this happened?

I wonder how religion played a role?

Ah OK sorry I misunderstood and took that to mean he was still away since May 24th since no mention of his return date or him in general are mentioned at all in the article or the attached LE document other than his name. My oversight. Unfortunately it's too late to edit my previous post.

 

[LauraAnne]

I guess this is all so obvious in hindsight. God, Look at her!!! This is the same feeling I had about Andrea Yates. Such a tragedy for the children, and so sad that no one intervened to keep this from happening although it must have been obvious for a long time that she was unfit.

 

[MissMalowe]

Deleted (double posted)

 

[Knox]

Ah OK sorry I misunderstood and took that to mean he was still away since May 24th since no mention of his return date or him in general are mentioned at all in the article or the attached LE document other than his name. My oversight. Unfortunately it's too late to edit my previous post.

No need to be sorry, it was oddly worded. I’m curious where they were living previously. They hadn’t been in that house but a few months.

 

[Inthedetails]

I wonder how religion played a role?

snipped

I don't know if it played a direct role, but the ambulance service is one that serves Jewish neighborhoods. I'm not super knowledgeable about it, except my understanding is they serve communities that mainly speak Yiddish. She first called an ambulance in Brooklyn, which to me, indicates she is from one of these religious communities and perhaps is originally from Brooklyn or contacted the wrong location when she called the ambulance. Outside of those communities, people would call 911.

jmo

 

[Lilibet]

snipped

I don't know if it played a direct role, but the ambulance service is one that serves Jewish neighborhoods. I'm not super knowledgeable about it, except my understanding is they serve communities that mainly speak Yiddish. She first called an ambulance in Brooklyn, which to me, indicates she is from one of these religious communities and perhaps is originally from Brooklyn or contacted the wrong location when she called the ambulance. Outside of those communities, people would call 911.

jmo

Yes, Lakewood NJ has a very large Orthodox Jewish population.

As a major hub of Orthodox Judaism, Lakewood is home to Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), the largest yeshiva outside of Israel.[28]The large Orthodox population, which comprises more than half the township's population, strongly influences the township's culture[28][29] and wields considerable political clout in the township as a voting bloc.[30][31][32]

Lakewood Township is served by three emergency medical services (EMS) entities, which include Lakewood EMS (LEMS), Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad (LFAS) and Hatzolah EMS. The squads are all independently operated, but work together to provide emergency medical services for the township.

Lakewood Township, New Jersey - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hatzalah - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Knox]

Yes, Lakewood NJ has a very large Orthodox Jewish population.

As a major hub of Orthodox Judaism, Lakewood is home to Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), the largest yeshiva outside of Israel.[28]The large Orthodox population, which comprises more than half the township's population, strongly influences the township's culture[28][29] and wields considerable political clout in the township as a voting bloc.[30][31][32]

Lakewood Township is served by three emergency medical services (EMS) entities, which include Lakewood EMS (LEMS), Lakewood First Aid & Emergency Squad (LFAS) and Hatzolah EMS. The squads are all independently operated, but work together to provide emergency medical services for the township.

Lakewood Township, New Jersey - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Hatzalah - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The latest article posted above, says she killed them for religious purposes? Trying to decipher what that means?

 

[Lilibet]

The latest article posted above, says she killed them for religious purposes? Trying to decipher what that means?

It’s probably what she imagined were religious purposes, not anytning real or rational. She may have thought they were possessed by demons, for example. A delusion of some kind.