Man Accused of Attempting to Drown His 2 Young Children at Connecticut Beach Is Arrested by Police

This past weekend, a guy from New York was taken into custody for allegedly trying to drown his two kids on a beach in Connecticut.

In a social media post on Saturday, June 22, the West Haven Police Department stated that at 2:31 a.m. local time, an officer “heard significant screaming taking place from the water” after spotting a Nissan SUV parked on the beach.

The officer observed a man and two small children in the water upon hearing the screaming. The father started to “drift further away with the children all while screaming at the responding officers to’stay back,'” according to the West Haven Police, as the officer got closer to them.

Romney Desronvil, 41, of Queens was subsequently recognized as the dad who was “deliberately drowning his children,” according to authorities.

The officers jumped into the ocean right quickly, and at this point they were almost a hundred yards off the coast. The police agency went on to say that other officers who were on the site joined the West Shore Fire agency and used the West Shore Fire boat to enter the water. With the assistance of others, the initial officer was able to “gain possession” of the children and bring them to safety.

Following their transfer to a nearby hospital, the kids were given “life-saving measures” by the authorities.

Police Chief Joseph Perno stated at a press conference on Saturday that Desronvil is anticipated to face two counts of attempted murder and two counts of risk of injury; the incident is still being investigated, according to the local publication New Haven Register.

“It is without a doubt the swift response by our patrol officers saved the lives of these children,” the police department stated. “The communication and collaborative efforts made by the West Shore Fire Department and eventually the New Haven Police Department allowed for immediate medical aid and also the apprehension of Desronvil.”

West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer praised “the brave work of our officers” for their response during the press conference that CT Insider was able to access.

“These two children, they had guardian angels this morning, and the name of their guardian angels were officer Williamson and officer Miller,” she said, describing their efforts as “truly remarkable.”

The mayor told the New Haven Register that the kids seemed to be getting well, and Chief Perno noted that both of them were younger than three years old. According to reports, Perno also disclosed that their mother had traveled from New York to New Haven by Saturday afternoon, when the purported attempt at drowning was made.

During the press conference, West Shore Fire Chief Stephen Scafariello stated that paramedics, EMTs, and firefighters “went to work immediately” on the kids as soon as they arrived. According to him, it took 22 minutes from the moment of dispatch until the moment the kids were taken to the hospital for treatment.

“I would like to personally commend our firefighters who transported both patients in our rescue truck,” stated Scafariello. “They provided care to the highest level.”