A New York mother, Dimone Fleming, has been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect for the deaths of her two young sons. The decision was made by Bronx Criminal Court Judge Audrey Stone on Monday.
Fleming, 26, was accused of stabbing her 11-month-old son, Octavius Canada, and her three-year-old son, Daishawn Fleming, multiple times and submerging them in a bathtub on November 26, 2022. The judge's ruling accepts the defense's argument that Fleming was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the incident.
Like Fleming, Massachusetts mother Lindsay Clancy has also put forward an insanity defense in the deaths of her three children, a case that is still awaiting a verdict. Both women had reportedly been receiving treatment for depression and anxiety prior to the tragic events.
According to court records obtained by The New York Times, Fleming was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and prescribed psychotropic medication. However, she was reportedly using marijuana daily, which may have exacerbated her symptoms. A psychiatrist who evaluated Fleming at the prosecution's request reported that she was "grossly psychotic and out of touch with reality" on the night of the killings, experiencing hallucinations and believing the world was ending and that a spirit had invaded her body. A defense forensic psychiatric report stated Fleming believed her actions were necessary to protect or cleanse her children.
Police responded to the shelter where Fleming lived with her sons after an employee noticed smoke and water coming from her apartment. The children were not immediately discovered by authorities; they were found later that night by Octavius's father, Columbus Canada, who was also Fleming's boyfriend at the time. Canada, who was present in court on Monday, stated he forgave Fleming and called her a "good person" who "loved kids."
Fleming was reportedly found by police naked from the waist up and holding a children's book upside down. Prosecutors did not aggressively pursue a conviction in this case, unlike in some similar situations. Assistant District Attorney Tiffany Wichman commented that "Prosecuting mothers does not and cannot prevent these crimes from happening, but public discourse might," emphasizing the importance of open discussion.
Fleming's lawyer, Jodi Morales, described the outcome as a "result of collaboration," noting that "Everybody recognized what we were dealing with here."
Fleming faces potential placement in a high-security hospital for an initial six months, with the possibility of indefinite extension if her condition does not improve. She could also be transferred to a more open facility for further evaluation or discharged with conditions if deemed mentally fit. Fleming is expected to return to court on September 18 for further evaluation.
Meanwhile, deliberations are ongoing in the case of Lindsay Clancy, who is accused of strangling her three children in January 2023 and then attempting suicide. Her defense also centers on postpartum psychosis. The jury in Clancy's case has requested to review evidence, including the knife used in the alleged suicide attempt and bags of pill bottles found at the scene.