WEST HAVEN, Conn. — Three-year-old twin toddlers were released from the hospital Tuesday after police said their father attempted to drown them at Dawson Ave Beach in West Haven, according to Mayor Dorinda Borer.
The toddlers, a boy and a girl, were brought home after celebrating their third birthdays Monday with a visit at Yale New Haven Hospital from West Haven Police Ofc. Miller and Ofc. Williamson, who rescued them from the water.
On June 22 at 2:30 a.m., Miller and Williamson were on patrol in the area of Ocean Avenue and Dawson Avenue when they spotted a Nissan SUV parked on the beach, according to police.
As the officers followed sounds of screaming coming from the water, they found a man, identified as Romney Desronvil, 27, of Queens, N.Y. and his two children in the ocean. Police said the three were drifting away with tide as Desronvil told the officers to "stay back."
After police said it became clear that Desronvil was "deliberately drowning his children," the officers entered the water and brought the children to shore with backup from other officers and members of the West Shore Fire Department.
The children were given life-saving measures by first responders and were taken by ambulance to the hospital where they were brought to the Intensive Care Unit. On June 24, the twins were taken off of intubation, and on June 25, they were released from the ICU.
The mother, who was in New York at the time, went to Connecticut after getting a call from police. Borer said that she offered hotel and meal arrangements to the mother while her children were at the hospital.
Desronvil was arrested and is facing charges of risk of injury to a child on two counts, criminal attempt to commit murder on two counts and reckless endangerment in the third degree on two counts.
He appeared in Milford Superior Court in June where prosecutors said he had no criminal record or connection to the community. His bond was set at $2 million, and he is expected back in court on Aug. 29.
Sean Humphrey is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at shumphrey@fox61.com.
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