Who is Erin Merdy? 5 things on Brooklyn mom sentenced to 20 years in jail for drowning kids at Coney Island

Erin Merdy, a woman from Brooklyn, was sentenced to 20 years to life on Wednesday for drowning her three young kids at Coney Island.

Erin Merdy, a woman from Brooklyn, was sentenced to 20 years to life on Wednesday for drowning her three young kids at Coney Island. Her children were aged three-months-old, four-years-old, and seven-years-old at the time.

New York Police investigators examine a stretch of beach at Coney Island where three children were found dead in the surf, Sept. 12, 2022, in New York. (AP File Photo)

Merdy drowned them in the ocean near their home, which is close to the famed boardwalk there. District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Zachary, Liliana and Oliver were innocent children whose lives were taken in the most heartbreaking and unthinkable way. No sentence can fully measure the loss of a seven-year-old, a four-year-old and a three-month-old baby, or the grief their loved ones will carry forever. We sought the strongest possible accountability in this devastating case, and while nothing can bring these children back, this sentence ensures the defendant will be held responsible for taking their lives.”

Here's all you need to know about Erin Merdy.

Erin Merdy: 5 things to know about mom who drowned kids

1. Merdy, 34, faced first-degree murder charges in the 2022 killings of her children.
2. Her relatives had initially called the cops, saying they believed Merdy intended to harm the kids.
3. Merdy was found barefoot and soaking wet and said the children were gone. She said she was sorry, as per prosecutors.
4. Video showed Merdy walking toward the ocean with the children just before 1am, and was used as evidence during her court case.
5. Merdy's relatives at the time had said she might have been going through postpartum depression.

Prior to the tragic incident, Merdy had reportedly shown signs of things being amiss. Zachary often went without food when he was with her, as per Derrick Merdy, her ex, who was entangled in a fierce custody battle at the time, New York Times reported. As per Derrick, Zachary told him that during the family's frequent stays at homeless shelters, he'd have to relieve himself in a bowl. Zachary reportedly said Merdy ‘makes me starve’ as per the Times. At the same time, she reportedly seemed open to granting Derrick custody.

“I am thinking of letting Zachary live with you and possibly giving up my rights. I love him enough to let him stay with you or your mom because I want the best for him. I want him to excel. I want him to have everything and grow up having the best life,” she reportedly wrote to him, as per NYT.

(With AP inputs)