Almost 5 years after new child twin boys have been found crushed to loss of life within the trash behind a Bronx constructing, authorities have arrested the infants’ mom following a dogged, years-long search, police introduced Friday.
The total-term an identical child boys, who detectives named Zeke and Zane, have been present in November 2020 by the superintendent of an residence constructing on Faculty Ave. close to E. 171st St. in Claremont. Town’s chief medical expert decided they died from blunt-force trauma lower than 12 hours earlier than they have been discovered, with accidents indicating that they had been crushed to loss of life.
On Friday, police arrested the infants’ mom, Stephanie Castillo, 36. Castillo is charged with six counts of homicide and 6 counts of manslaughter, in line with police.
infants
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Each day Information
Police examine after the our bodies of two infants have been discovered within the rear courtyard of 1460 Faculty Ave. within the Bronx on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Each day Information)
The newborns have been each bare once they have been discovered, and one had a bathe loofah wrapped close to his neck, authorities stated on the time. They weighed simply 5 and 6 kilos.
Annoyed detectives tried desperately to seek out Castillo within the intervening years, upping the reward cash from $2,500 to $10,000 and making a number of pleas to the general public for any info resulting in her arrest. Police scoured space hospitals and questioned the residents of all 42 residences within the constructing however nobody reported seeing a pregnant girl. Video surveillance got here up empty, police stated on the time.
“Someone has to know something. So we’re asking for the public’s help,” Lt. William O’Toole, then-commander of the NYPD’s Bronx Murder Squad, stated in a plea for info in 2021.
infants
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Each day Information
Police examine after the our bodies of two infants have been discovered within the rear courtyard of 1460 Faculty Ave. within the Bronx on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Each day Information)
In the long run, police paid for the infants’ funeral.
On Friday a police supply divulged how authorities discovered Castillo. In keeping with the supply, Castillo lived together with her mother and father within the constructing when the infants have been discovered, however had hidden the being pregnant from them. After giving beginning, she threw the infant twins out the window in rubbish baggage, the supply stated.
In the course of the investigation, DNA was taken from the newborns, figuring out they have been twins and linking them to the mom, whose blood was additionally discovered within the trash baggage, though for a time her id remained a thriller.
Stephanie Castillo is pictured in police custody leaving the NYPD’s forty fourth Precinct stationhouse on Friday, June 19, 2025, within the Bronx. (Barry Williams / New York Each day Information)
After murdering the twins, Castillo went to reside in Staten Island and should have frolicked within the Dominican Republic, in line with the supply. The case was lastly busted open via familial DNA, after police discovered a relative of the infants who had sooner or later been within the legal justice system and whose DNA police had on file, the supply stated.
From there police have been capable of hint the mom’s id. They went on the lookout for her, noticed her and grabbed a can she tossed after consuming from it, and matched it to the mom’s DNA.
infants
Gardiner Anderson/for New York Each day Information
Police examine after the our bodies of two infants have been discovered within the rear courtyard of 1460 Faculty Ave. within the Bronx on Monday, Nov. 9, 2020. (Gardiner Anderson for New York Each day Information)
When police arrested her, she was dwelling in a shelter on Jerome Ave., a few mile north from the crime scene, in Morris Heights.
Her arraignment was pending Friday afternoon.
Initially Printed: July 25, 2025 at 4:12 PM EDT
