Water Cooler

Family Tried To Have Kids Removed 10 Times

Suozzi Announces Investigation Into Child Protective Services

NEW CASSEL, N.Y. (CBS) ― Ihnvestigators say a woman admitted to police in a bone-chilling confession on Monday to the drowning of her three children inside their home on Long Island, a home that child protective services visited on Friday, CBS 2 HD has learned.

On the day after the triple tragedy, flowers, teddy bears and three candles were left for the three lives extinguished, police say, by Leatrice Brewer, a mentally unstable mother.

Investigators say Jewel Ward, 6, Michael Demesyeaux, 5, and Innocent Demesyeaux, 18 months, died from a combination of drowning, poisoning and slashing. The clothed bodies were lined up neatly on a bed by a mother who is no stranger to the law.

"Our records indicate she's been arrested at least six times. I believe four of those were for felony charges and two for misdemeanors that date back to 2000," said Detective Lt. Michael Fleming of the Nassau County Police Department.

Police say not only did Brewer kill her three children, but she called 911 to tell authorities about it.

Brewer's family said it called child protective services at least 10 times to remove the children. Her own grandmother reportedly told police Brewer hit her kids. Yet the children remained with her in the home with tragic consequences.

On Monday night there were demands by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi to fully investigate child protective services.

"This is a horrific crime," Suozzi said. "Obviously something went seriously wrong and we need to determine whether part of that wrong was with the system itself. I've ordered an immediate review of all contact this family had with any county agencies."

Some, though, came to Brewer's defense.

"She loved her kids. She loved her kids," said Ricky Grant.

Grant saw his childhood friend every day and claims she seemed depressed at times, expressing to him her difficulties managing her three children.

"I saw her Friday. I gave her some food and I gave her kids a little something. I saw that little boy's face smiling," Grant told CBS 2 HD.

Down the street from where Brewer and her kids lived is a church that also embraced the single mom.

"She frequented a soup kitchen and she would come there to get meals on a weekly basis. And we understand that she had some mental problems that she was dealing with and there could have been some drug problems as well," said Bishop Lionel Harvey of the First Baptist Cathedral Church.

The mental instability and pressure conspired to make her snap. Now three lives are gone, another is ruined, while Brewer's devastated family left to pick up the pieces.

"No one could have predicted something like this. I don't care how erratic the behavior is," said Harvey.

Brewer is being evaluated at Nassau University Medical Center and could be arraigned on murder charges at any moment.

The fathers of the children say they tried, but failed to get custody of their children. The Nassau County Department of Human Services said it's working closely with the police department in their investigation.

Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 HD for the latest in this developing story.

CBS 2 HD's Sean Hennessey contributed to this report

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