championhood
Banned
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- Dec 22, 2007
[h1]MOM DROWNS 3 KIDS: LI COPS[/h1]
[img]http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/photos/new0G.jpg[/img] [h3][img]http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/photos/new0M.jpg[/img][img]http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/photos/new0I.jpg[/img][/h3]
[h2]LAYS BODIES NEATLY ON BED[/h2]
[h3]By SELIM ALGAR, JOE MOLLICA and ERIC LENKOWITZ[/h3]
February 25, 2008 -- A deranged Long Island mom killed her three young children - apparently by drowning them - and laid their wet corpses side by side onher bed, police sources said yesterday.
Leatrice Brewer, 27, then called 911, but may have tried to kill herself first, the sources said.
A homicide detective said today one child's throat was cut and all three showed signs of possible poisoning.
The shocking crime evoked memories of murderous mom Andrea Yates, who drowned all five of her kids in her Texas home in 2001.
Yesterday, when officers arrived at the home on Prospect Avenue in New Cassel at about 9 a.m., Brewer was standing at the top of a staircase and summonedthem inside.
Police found 6-year-old Jewell Ward and her brothers, Michael Demesyeux, 4, and Innocent Demesyeux, 1, dead on their mom's bed.
The father of Michael and Innocent, Innocent Demesyeux Sr., briefly stopped by the home and was clearly distraught.
"I think she planned it. She should get what she deserves," the grieving dad said.
Although the deaths appeared to be from drowning, "we're looking into the possibility of more than one method," said a police source, whonoted that blood was found in the bedroom.
Neighbors told police that Brewer jumped from the second-floor window in a failed suicide attempt before cops arrived.
Brewer, who relatives said has a history of mental illness, was taken to a local hospital for physical and psychiatric evaluation.
She was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and an additional count of first-degree murder because there were multiple victims.
Ricky Ward, Jewell's father, said his child's mother is a longtime crack and cocaine user. He added that he had pleaded repeatedly with Family Courtto get custody of his daughter.
"Family Court would not listen to me," he said. "I blame this on Leatrice Brewer and Family Court."
CONTINUED The boy's grandfather, Innis Demesyeux, said his son, Innocent Sr., had also tried to remove his children from thehouse after Michael said he didn't want to stay with his mother.
Brewer's grandmother, who became hysterical at the scene, insisted she wasn't a bad mom.
"She loved her kids," Maebelle Mickens shouted. "She flipped out. The system failed her. Pray for her."
Other relatives said that the family had called the Department of Social Services multiple times out of fear for the children's safety. A Nassau Countyspokeswoman could not immediately confirm those calls.
Brewer, who worked at a Kohl's department store in Jericho, had been worried about money in recent weeks.
"She was always talking about her kids, but she did look stressed lately," said a co-worker. "I know they weren't giving her a lot ofhours and she needed more work hours."
Elijah Crawford, Mickens' pastor, said Brewer was turned down for financial assistance.
"Social Services didn't give her the money she was expecting and she just snapped out," Crawford said.
Brewer - who lost both her parents to HIV-related illnesses - moved in to the apartment last summer after leaving grandmother Mickens' home in Westburybecause she thought it was "too hectic" there, said a cousin.
Once in the new home, she became delusional, the relative said.
"She would say that people were out to get her and she kind of had paranoia, especially about her kids," said the cousin, refusing toelaborate.
Another cousin, Joshua Golson, 15, said, "She wanted help, but she didn't want to give her kids away."
Golson said he saw the three children Saturday and "they were all right."
Neighbors said Brewer was neglectful and kept her car full of garbage.
"She should never have had kids," said one neighbor. "She used to leave the 6-year-old watching the younger kids. She was always goingout."
Additional reporting by Brigitte Williams-James, Tim Perone, Tatiana Deligiannakis and C.J. Sullivan
[img]http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/photos/new0G.jpg[/img] [h3][img]http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/photos/new0M.jpg[/img][img]http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252008/photos/new0I.jpg[/img][/h3]
[h2]LAYS BODIES NEATLY ON BED[/h2]
[h3]By SELIM ALGAR, JOE MOLLICA and ERIC LENKOWITZ[/h3]
February 25, 2008 -- A deranged Long Island mom killed her three young children - apparently by drowning them - and laid their wet corpses side by side onher bed, police sources said yesterday.
Leatrice Brewer, 27, then called 911, but may have tried to kill herself first, the sources said.
A homicide detective said today one child's throat was cut and all three showed signs of possible poisoning.
The shocking crime evoked memories of murderous mom Andrea Yates, who drowned all five of her kids in her Texas home in 2001.
Yesterday, when officers arrived at the home on Prospect Avenue in New Cassel at about 9 a.m., Brewer was standing at the top of a staircase and summonedthem inside.
Police found 6-year-old Jewell Ward and her brothers, Michael Demesyeux, 4, and Innocent Demesyeux, 1, dead on their mom's bed.
The father of Michael and Innocent, Innocent Demesyeux Sr., briefly stopped by the home and was clearly distraught.
"I think she planned it. She should get what she deserves," the grieving dad said.
Although the deaths appeared to be from drowning, "we're looking into the possibility of more than one method," said a police source, whonoted that blood was found in the bedroom.
Neighbors told police that Brewer jumped from the second-floor window in a failed suicide attempt before cops arrived.
Brewer, who relatives said has a history of mental illness, was taken to a local hospital for physical and psychiatric evaluation.
She was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and an additional count of first-degree murder because there were multiple victims.
Ricky Ward, Jewell's father, said his child's mother is a longtime crack and cocaine user. He added that he had pleaded repeatedly with Family Courtto get custody of his daughter.
"Family Court would not listen to me," he said. "I blame this on Leatrice Brewer and Family Court."
CONTINUED The boy's grandfather, Innis Demesyeux, said his son, Innocent Sr., had also tried to remove his children from thehouse after Michael said he didn't want to stay with his mother.
Brewer's grandmother, who became hysterical at the scene, insisted she wasn't a bad mom.
"She loved her kids," Maebelle Mickens shouted. "She flipped out. The system failed her. Pray for her."
Other relatives said that the family had called the Department of Social Services multiple times out of fear for the children's safety. A Nassau Countyspokeswoman could not immediately confirm those calls.
Brewer, who worked at a Kohl's department store in Jericho, had been worried about money in recent weeks.
"She was always talking about her kids, but she did look stressed lately," said a co-worker. "I know they weren't giving her a lot ofhours and she needed more work hours."
Elijah Crawford, Mickens' pastor, said Brewer was turned down for financial assistance.
"Social Services didn't give her the money she was expecting and she just snapped out," Crawford said.
Brewer - who lost both her parents to HIV-related illnesses - moved in to the apartment last summer after leaving grandmother Mickens' home in Westburybecause she thought it was "too hectic" there, said a cousin.
Once in the new home, she became delusional, the relative said.
"She would say that people were out to get her and she kind of had paranoia, especially about her kids," said the cousin, refusing toelaborate.
Another cousin, Joshua Golson, 15, said, "She wanted help, but she didn't want to give her kids away."
Golson said he saw the three children Saturday and "they were all right."
Neighbors said Brewer was neglectful and kept her car full of garbage.
"She should never have had kids," said one neighbor. "She used to leave the 6-year-old watching the younger kids. She was always goingout."
Additional reporting by Brigitte Williams-James, Tim Perone, Tatiana Deligiannakis and C.J. Sullivan
