On November 26, 2022, 11-month-old Octavius Canada was fatally stabbed by his mother, Dimone Fleming (age 22), in their apartment at a homeless shelter at 246 Echo Place in the Bronx. The mother, who had been diagnosed with major depression approximately one month prior and was exhibiting increasingly erratic behavior, stabbed both Octavius and his 3-year-old half-sibling DeShawn Fleming multiple times with suspected kitchen shears and placed them in a bathtub filled with water, covered by clothing. Police initially responded to a 911 call about the mother acting irrationally and being naked, but left without discovering the children after a family friend told officers the children were with their father. The children's father, Columbus Canada, returned to the shelter after learning the mother was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He discovered the children in the bathtub full of bloody water and called 911. Both children were transported to the hospital and pronounced dead. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple sharp injuries of the neck and the manner as homicide. The mother was arrested and charged with murder.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The fatality report states the children had "multiple stab wounds to their necks, chests, and backs, which were caused by the mother." The report further specifies the cause of death was "multiple sharp injuries of the neck." The NY Post article (document 4) corroborates this, noting the children were found with "multiple stab wounds" to their necks and torsos, and it was suspected kitchen shears were used.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
The fatality report identifies the mother as the "Alleged Perpetrator" and states all allegations were substantiated against her. The report states the children had "multiple stab wounds to their necks, chests, and backs, which were caused by the mother." She was arrested and charged with murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, and manslaughter.
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
The fatality report states: "In 2019, ACS substantiated allegations of Inadequate Guardianship and Parent Drug Alcohol Misuse against the mother, regarding the now 3-year-old deceased sibling. A CPS services case was opened following the investigation." While the prior report was for the sibling rather than this specific child, it represents prior CPS history for the family.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The fatality report states: "the mother was arrested and charged with murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, and manslaughter." The NY Post article (document 5) confirms: "Fleming was charged at the 46th Precinct late Sunday with two counts each of murder, intention to commit murder and murder: depraved indifference to a person less than 11 years old."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
The fatality report states the children were "living in a shelter with their mother and the subject child's father." The NY Post article (document 4) identifies it as "the homeless shelter at 246 Echo Place in Mount Hope." The NY Times article also describes it as "a family homeless shelter in the Bronx."
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states: "ACS learned from staff the mother underwent a psychological evaluation on 10/27/22" and "Shelter staff reported a diagnosis of major depression with no follow-up treatment." It also notes "A recent change in the mother's behavior was noted by shelter residents and coincided with the mother practicing the chakra methodology." The report also states the mother "had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital following the fatalities." The NY Post article (document 5) adds that the mother "has been held for psychiatric evaluation" and that "she may have killed her sons because she believed they were possessed," with a source stating "She made statements about the devil — unusual statements."
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The NY Post article (document 5) states: "court records reveal that a woman bearing the same name and date of birth as Fleming was charged in a child pornography case in York County, Pa., in April of 2018." This represents prior criminal history for the mother that predates the fatal incident. The article notes that "Details about the case and its outcome were not immediately available," and the identification is based on matching name and date of birth rather than confirmed identity. Additionally, the father of the 3-year-old sibling was incarcerated at the time of the fatality, indicating prior criminal history for another parent figure.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states: "In 2019, ACS substantiated allegations of Inadequate Guardianship and Parent Drug Alcohol Misuse against the mother." Additionally, the preventive services case listed "Drug Counseling/Treatment" among the documented services requested for the mother.
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge across the sources. First, law enforcement responded to the shelter unit initially but failed to locate the children; the NY Post (document 4) explains that "The officers saw water on the bathroom floor, but the tub was filled with clothing that concealed the tiny corpses — and cops had no reason to think the kids were in the home since a neighbor told police they were with their dad." The fatality report corroborates that "the mother did not alert law enforcement of the children's presence in the unit; therefore, the children were unaccounted for." Second, the mother had a psychiatric evaluation approximately one month before the fatality showing major depression, but the fatality report notes there was "no follow-up treatment." Third, prior CPS involvement in 2019 resulted in a preventive services case that was closed in 2020 because "the mother left the New York City area" and "ACS was unsuccessful in its attempts to locate the family throughout the open case." The mother was described as "uncooperative with ACS." Fourth, the NY Post (document 5) reports the mother may have killed her children because she believed they were possessed and that she was previously charged in a child pornography case in Pennsylvania in 2018. Fifth, the fatality report notes "The New York City region does not have an OCFS approved Child Fatality Review Team."
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