Grisly I-95 discovery in Miami-Dade: 2 young toddler twins found dead, mom critically hurt
MIAMI - Two children who were found unresponsive in a silver van on the northbound Interstate 95 ramp to the Turnpike Extension at the Golden Glades interchange early Friday have died, authorities said.
A woman believed to be their mother and identified as Shirlene Alcime was rushed to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital, where she was listed in critical condition Friday evening.
Her husband said he was reeling from the news.
"I don't know what happened," said Milson Cadet, who identified the children as 3-year-old twins Milendhere Gabriel Napoleon Cadet and Milenjhit Gabriella Napoleon Cadet. "I went to work at 5 a.m. Thursday and then I came back home. I didn't see my wife at home (or) the kids. We have an office. I checked at the office. Around (midnight) I didn't see her at the office. I started calling her on the phone. She never picked up."
According to Miami-Dade Police, around 2 a.m. they received a call about a child who was unresponsive in the vehicle. Shortly afterward, they received another call that a second child was unresponsive.
"Just after our units arrived, they located a female on the scene who was the driver of the vehicle. She was driving the vehicle where these juveniles were located. And that adult female went over the railing to the on-ramp onto the railroad tracks which is a considerable distance" said Miami-Dade police Detective Andre Martin.
"The juveniles that were located in the backseat of the vehicle were transported to a nearby hospital where despite medical efforts they were pronounced deceased," he said.
The children were 3-year-old fraternal twins, a boy and a girl. Police have not disclosed a cause of death for the children.
"Not just as a police officer, but as a father. Any case, any incident, such as this one that results in the death of a child is very, very difficult. My prayers are with the family of these children," said Martin.
CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench spoke with Suzett Morant, who shared photographs of the children and the woman, whom she and other family members said was the children's mother, Shirlene Alcime.
Miami-Dade Police confirmed to CBS News Miami on Sunday the identities of both the twins and the mother.
"To be honest with you she was a good mother," Morant said. "She has an older son who is 16 years old. She has been such a good mother and that is why I co-signed on a car for her to make sure that she and her kids would be safe. The person I know would never do anything like that."
Police closed the ramp, which is also used to access westbound SR 826, during the investigation. It has since reopened.
"Right now our investigators are working to piece this tragic incident together. There are many many questions that they have that they're working to find answers to. The familial relationship between the adult female and the children is still unknown," said Martin. "There should be no incident that results in the loss of a child, especially the ages of three and four years old. And we just really hope we can figure out exactly what happened here," he added.
The train tracks that run under the interchange were also impacted. Tri-Rail said riders could expect delays in that area. A bus bridge was set up to connect the two closest stations.
Martin said the person who called was not the driver, but a passerby in another vehicle.
"That is a lot with those kids losing their lives so young. She is not the type of person that would do something like," Morant said. "This sounds impossible. This is mind boggling to me and I want to know what really went on."
Cadet said his wife had "no problems mentally," works full-time and has run her own tax business for seven years.
"This isn't someone with problems," he said. "I don't know what happened. Today I get a response (from police that) I have two kids, my beautiful kids who died in a condition that I don't know."