Bronx judge rules postpartum psychosis mother not criminally responsible for sons' deaths
A Bronx judge found Dimone Fleming not guilty by reason of mental disease for the 2022 killings of her two young sons.
In a Bronx courtroom, Dimone Fleming, now 26, was found not responsible for the deaths of her two children due to a mental disease or defect. Psychiatric expert Dr. Eric Goldsmith described her as experiencing gross psychosis, with hallucinations and delusional beliefs about an impending apocalypse and a spirit invasion. Prior to the incident, she had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and prescribed medication, which she did not follow, instead using marijuana daily, worsening her condition.
The murders occurred on November 26, 2022, when police responded to a shelter call and later discovered the boys' bodies hidden in a bathtub. Although she confessed to the killings and referenced the "devil," prosecutors concluded that a trial would not achieve justice, emphasizing the need for public discussion. Fleming will be re-evaluated by court-appointed psychiatrists and is set to appear again on September 18, with the possibility of extended hospitalization rather than prison.
Why it matters
The case highlights how severe postpartum psychosis can affect criminal responsibility and the legal system's handling of mental illness.
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