Murder Mom Charged with Gassing Kids

Mom Charged in Death's of Two Children

(Photo by David Greene)

By David Greene

BRONX, NEW YORK, July 9- A Parkchester mother has been arrested and charged with  the deaths of her two young children after a failed suicide attempt.

Fire officials were called for an odor of gas coming from a ninth-floor apartment at 1500 Noble Avenue, at just before midnight on July 5. Officials would have to break down the door to gain access to the apartment.

Officials would discover the two children, later identified by police as Trevor Noel, Jr., 5, and his 4-month-old sister Lillian, who were "unresponsive," and both were declared dead at the scene.

Paramedics removed the children's mother Lisette Bamenga, 29, an elementary school teacher with the Department of Education. Bamenga was also overcome by the fumes and also had minor slash wounds to both her wrists.

Bamenga was rushed to Jacobi Hospital where she is currently listed in stable condition.

Investigators reported a suicide note was found at the scene and plastic was found taped across the apartment's windows. Unconfirmed reports also stated that the young woman forced the children to drink windshield wiper fluid.

Bamenga's boyfriend and the children's father, a rookie police officer with the NYPD, would return home from his patrol duties to the active crime scene. Trevor Noel was spotted driving away from the grisly scene the next day.

The following Saturday Bamenga was charged with two counts of first- degree murder in the death's of her children.

A neighbor to the family who declined to be identified, stated, "I never knew those people so I don't know anything about them." The woman added, "When I opened the door for the firemen my home filled up with gas... and they actually told us to close the door."