Mom said 5-year-old Bronx twins were sick hours before they died, sources say
NEW YORK -- New details are emerging after 5-year-old twins suddenly died inside an apartment in the Bronx on Monday morning.
Outside the apartment on 240 East 175th St., it appeared to be a typical day Tuesday, but less than 24 hours prior, investigators were working to understand what caused the sudden, tragic deaths of 5-year-old twins.
"Hopefully it's not a crime scene, hopefully it's an unfortunate tragedy," NYPD Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley said Monday.
What caused their deaths is still unknown at this time, but new details give us a glimpse of the timeline and what transpired.
"The kids were sick last week, and they were sent home from school," Gurley said Monday.
In a news conference on Monday, police said the little boy and girl were sent home from school sick last week.
Police tell CBS New York the son was sick with cold-like symptoms and was vomiting, while the daughter had an ear infection and was also vomiting.
Sources also tell CBS New York their mother said the twins were vomiting around 3 a.m. Monday and saw them alive around 5 a.m. But just before 11:30 a.m., she called 911 to report they were in bed foaming from the mouth and nose, cold to the touch. Officials pronounced them dead at the scene.
"When you go up and you see two 5-year-olds laying on the floor, unresponsive and cold, at this time of the year, you can imagine what the family's going through. You can imagine what the mother's going through and the father," Gurley said Monday.
Officials say they conducted a search warrant at the home and found no evidence of drugs or any indication of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Police say there was no trauma to their bodies and suspect this is a medical-related death.
The medical examiner's office will determine their cause of death.
At this time, both parents are cooperating with the investigation, police say.