WEST HAVEN, CT – Authorities arrested a man early Saturday after he allegedly attempted to drown his children at a local beach. Romney Desronvil, 42, of Queens, New York, is accused of trying to drown his kids in the waters off West Haven, Connecticut.
According to the West Haven Police Department, the incident occurred shortly after 2:30 a.m. A patrolling officer noticed an SUV parked on the beach and heard loud screams coming from the water. As the officer approached, it became evident that an adult male and two small children were in the water.
The officer quickly realized the man was attempting to drown the children and moved to intervene. However, the suspect reportedly dragged the children further into Long Island Sound, shouting at the officer to stay back. Despite the suspect’s resistance, officers entered the water, with some nearly 100 yards from shore, to rescue the children.
Additional officers, along with members of the West Shore Fire Department, joined the rescue effort using a fire boat. The children were eventually recovered and rushed to a local hospital, where they were admitted to the intensive care unit.
The swift actions of the patrol officers and the collaborative efforts of the West Shore Fire Department and New Haven Police Department were credited with saving the children’s lives. Desronvil was apprehended at the scene, and the investigation is ongoing.
Criminal charges against Desronvil are pending as the West Haven Police Department’s Detective Division continues to investigate the incident.