On November 26, 2022, three-year-old DeShawn Fleming and his 11-month-old half-brother Octavius Canada were fatally stabbed by their mother, Dimone Fleming, 22, inside their family homeless shelter unit at 246 Echo Place in the Mount Hope section of the Bronx. The mother inflicted multiple stab wounds to both children's necks, chests, and backs, likely using kitchen shears found on the bathroom floor, and submerged them in the bathtub under clothing. That evening, shelter staff called 911 after observing the mother naked, acting erratically, and burning objects in the kitchen. Police responded and transported the mother to the hospital for psychiatric evaluation, but did not discover the children because a family friend told officers the children were with their father, and the children were concealed in the bathtub. Shortly after, Columbus Canada, the father of the younger child, returned to the apartment and discovered both boys in the bathtub full of water. He called 911 and attempted to provide aid, but both children were pronounced dead at the hospital. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple sharp injuries of the neck and the manner of death as homicide. The mother was arrested the following day and charged with murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, and manslaughter. She had been diagnosed with major depression one month prior but received no follow-up treatment.
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 also notes "multiple puncture wounds to the neck of the 3-year-old." The NYPD supplementary homicide report lists the weapon as "Cutting/Stabbing." The NY Post article further describes: "The boys each had 'multiple stab wounds' to the neck and torso."
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 the cause of the children's injuries: "The children had multiple stab wounds to their necks, chests, and backs, which were caused by the mother." The mother was arrested and charged with murder. All allegations including DOA/Fatality, Inadequate Guardianship, Internal Injuries, and Lacerations/Bruises/Welts were substantiated against the mother.
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: "Did the child have a history of alleged child abuse/maltreatment? Yes." It further details: "In 2019, ACS substantiated allegations of Inadequate Guardianship and Parent Drug Alcohol Misuse against the mother, regarding the now 3-year-old deceased child. A CPS services case was opened following the investigation." A preventive services case was opened on 12/4/19 but closed on 4/9/20 because the family could not be located.
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 criminal charge was filed on 11/27/2022 against the subject mother. The NY Post 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 3-year-old child and his 11-month-old half-sibling, were living in a shelter with their mother and the father of the youngest child." It also notes "the family had resided in the shelter since 2021." The NY Post identifies the location as "the homeless shelter at 246 Echo Place." The NYT 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: "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 states the mother "had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital following the fatalities." The NYT article reports that the mother's father "had heard from his sister that Ms. Fleming was suffering from postpartum depression." Additionally, the NY Post reports the mother's erratic behavior and that she "was held for psychiatric evaluation." The fatality report also notes "A recent change in the mother's behavior was noted by shelter residents and coincided with the mother practicing the chakra methodology."
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
The NYT article states: "Ms. Fleming had been arrested on child pornography charges in Pennsylvania in 2018." The NY Post corroborates: "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 is a prior criminal charge predating the fatal incident.
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, regarding the now 3-year-old deceased child." Additionally, the preventive services case documented that "the services requested were Drug Counseling/Treatment." This establishes a history of substance use by the mother.
Notable Details
Several substantive details emerge from the source material that are not covered by the preceding questions. First, police responded to the apartment before the children's bodies were discovered but failed to find them. The NYT reports that "A family friend told the officers that the woman's children were with their father" and that the bathroom "had such a small door it resembled the door to a closet." The NY Post elaborates that "the tub was filled with clothing that concealed the tiny corpses." Second, the fatality report notes the mother was diagnosed with major depression on 10/27/22 — one month before the killings — with "no follow-up treatment." Third, the NY Post reports that law enforcement sources indicated "Fleming may have killed her sons because she believed they were possessed" and that "She made statements about the devil — unusual statements." Fourth, the mother had a prior CPS case in 2019 that was closed because she fled New York City and was uncooperative, with ACS unable to locate the family despite efforts. The fatality report states: "The mother was uncooperative with ACS and would not provide her location or the child's location."
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