Mother charged with murder in drowning deaths of 3 children at Coney Island beach

The mother of three children who drowned at Coney Island earlier this week was arrested and charged with murder in their deaths Wednesday, according to police.

Erin Merdy — 30, of Brooklyn — faces multiple murder counts for each child, including murder with depraved indifference and murder for someone under the age of 11, Taylor Cannon of the New York Police Department's Public Information Office told USA TODAY.

The medical examiner for New York City confirmed Tuesday that the deaths of the children — found on the shoreline near the Coney Island boardwalk — were homicides by drowning.

The children have been identified as 7-year-old Zachary Merdy, 4-year-old Lilana Merdy, and 3-month-old Oliver Bondarev. Their bodies were discovered early Monday after a search triggered by a call from a relative to police. The caller told officers they were worried Merdy intended to cause her children harm.

The children were found unresponsive on the beach and were pronounced dead at the hospital. Merdy was discovered by authorities 2 miles down the boardwalk from the children, barefoot and "soaking wet," according to police. 

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Contributing: The Associated Press