The mother accused of smothering her 5-year-old twins — who were found vomiting and foaming at the mouth in their Bronx apartment late last year — faced a judge on Friday after being indicted on murder charges.
Gloria Asamoah, 42, looked slightly dazed as she appeared in Bronx Supreme Court, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, for her arraignment before Justice Brenda Rivera.
Asamoah, who was initially held in a psychiatric ward, was remanded without bail during the hearing.
She was indicted earlier this week on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and two counts each of first- and second-degree manslaughter related to the Dec. 18, 2023 deaths of her son and daughter, George and Gianna Kantanka.
“This tragedy, occurring right before the holidays, was incredibly senseless,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said in a statement.
“The young brother and sister were discovered lying together, lifeless, in their apartment,” the DA said. “Their mother allegedly killed these children and will be held accountable.”
Little George and Gianna were found on the living room floor of their apartment on East 175th Street and were initially believed to have died from a medical emergency.
An autopsy, however, revealed that the twins – who had special needs and were kept home from school the day they died – had actually been smothered, the medical examiner’s office said in mid-March.
Their mom was indicted some four months later.
“She’s back in the psych ward. She’s not free to leave at any given time. She’s there until doctors just clear her, and at that point, she will be taken into custody by the NYPD,” Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters during a briefing Tuesday.
The twins’ father was at work in Port Chester at the time their bodies were found, and was not expected to face charges, Kenny added.
George had been sick with a cold for about two weeks before his death, and was sent home from school the week before, authorities said.
Gianna had been suffering from an ear infection, and had also been acting out at school, Asamoah allegedly told authorities.
The little girl had apparently been “biting and spitting” in the classroom, the mom claimed, according to Kenny.
The mother – who is originally from Ghana – was so upset by the children’s deaths that she was hospitalized, law enforcement sources said at the time.
