(WEST HAVEN, Conn.) — Two children are recovering in a Connecticut Intensive Care Unit after police officers stopped their father from allegedly trying to drown them at a West Haven beach early Saturday morning, according to investigators.
A West Haven Police Department patrol officer spotted an SUV parked at Dawson Avenue Beach around 2:30 a.m. and heard screaming from the water as the officer inspected the car, according to investigators.
The officer encountered Romney Desronvil, 41, with two children in the water, the police said.
“As the officer entered the water the adult male continued to drift further away with the children all while screaming at the responding officers to ‘stay back,'” the West Haven Police Department said in a statement. “It was obvious at this point that the male…was deliberately drowning his children.”
Additional police officers and members of the fire department entered the water to assist, going as far as 100 yards from the shore, police said.
Officers were able to get the children, who were described as under 3 years old, away from their father and bring them back to shore to give life-saving measures before they were rushed to the hospital, investigators said.
West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer told reporters later in the day that the victims were showing signs of improvement but remained in critical condition.
She commended the actions of two of the officers, who she identified as Officer Williamson and Officer Miller, for saving their lives.
“They had guardian angels this morning,” Borer said.
Desronvil, a Queens, New York, resident, was arrested and charged with two counts each of attempted manslaughter and risk of injury, according to investigators.
The investigation is ongoing and more charges may be brought, according to the police.
Attorney information for the suspect was not immediately available.
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