Coney Island mother sentenced for drowning her 3 young children in the ocean

A Coney Island mother was sentenced to 20 years to life after drowning three young children in the ocean near their home. Erin Merdy, 34, was convicted after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. Prosecutors said she took Oliver, Liliana, and Zachary to the beach near West 35th Street around 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 12, 2022, drowned them, and then began walking toward Oliver’s father’s apartment. Family members were called but she did not answer questions about the children’s whereabouts. Police found the children unresponsive and wet on the shoreline four hours later, and they were pronounced dead at Coney Island Hospital. Merdy was later located barefoot in Brighton Beach and told relatives the children were gone and that she was sorry.

"Erin Merdy, 34, will serve 20 years to life behind bars for killing 3-month-old Oliver Bondarev, 4-year-old Liliana Stephens Merdy and 7-year-old Zachary Merdy on Sept. 12, 2022."

"Prosecutors say Erin Merdy took the children to the Coney Island beach near West 35th Street at around 12:30 a.m. They say that after drowning all three children, Erin Merdy started walking toward her son Oliver's father's apartment. She called family members, upset, but would not answer questions about where her children were, according to court documents."

"Officers found Oliver, Liliana and Zachary unresponsive and wet on the shoreline four hours later. They were pronounced dead at Coney Island Hospital. Merdy's family located her, barefoot, in Brighton Beach. She told them the children were gone and that she was sorry."

"“Zachary, Liliana and Oliver were innocent children whose lives were taken in the most heartbreaking and unthinkable way.” said Gonzalez. “No sentence can fully measure the loss of a seven-year-old, a four-year-old and a three-month-old baby, or the grief their loved ones will carry forever. We sought the strongest possible accountability in this devastating case, and while nothing can bring these children back, this sentence ensures the defendant will be held responsible for taking their lives.”"

Read at News 12 - Long Island