Mother Who Drowned Her Children in Shocking Crime Learns Her Fate

A New Jersey mother who drowned her two toddlers in separate bathtubs has been found not guilty by reason of insanity, highlighting the devastating impact of postpartum psychosis in a case that shocked the nation.

Top Takeaways

Naomi Elkins, 27, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for drowning her two young daughters, ages 1 and 3, in June 2024.
The court ordered Elkins to be committed to a secure psychiatric facility for two lifetimes (150 years), with periodic evaluations of her mental state.
Psychologists determined Elkins suffered from severe postpartum psychosis, believing she or her husband was the Messiah and that killing her children would “eliminate all evil in the world.”
Both the judge and prosecutor agreed the insanity ruling was appropriate based on multiple psychiatric evaluations.
The case underscores the dangerous reality of untreated postpartum mental illness and its potential for tragic outcomes.

A Mother’s Descent into Psychosis

Naomi Elkins, a 27-year-old daycare worker from Lakewood, New Jersey, had been battling mental illness since 2018, but her condition deteriorated dramatically following the births of her two daughters. Court records show Elkins developed severe postpartum psychosis after her pregnancies, a rare but serious mental health condition that can cause hallucinations, delusions, and irrational behavior. Her psychotic symptoms intensified after her second pregnancy, when she began experiencing deeply disturbing religious delusions about evil, sin, and divine punishment.

Naomi Elkins, 27, who drowned her 1- and 3-yr-old daughters to "cleanse evil," found not guilty by insanity. Faces 2 life terms in psych hospital. #NaomiElkins #InsanityVerdict #MentalHealth pic.twitter.com/5ZwsxkfWoC

— X Headlines (@XHeadlinec) April 7, 2025

According to testimony from psychologist Gianni Pirelli, Elkins had become “undoubtedly psychotic” and harbored bizarre beliefs about her family’s supernatural nature. She believed either she or her husband was the Messiah and that her children were somehow connected to evil forces. In her delusional state, she became convinced that drowning her children was necessary to purify the world of sin. The progression of her illness went largely unrecognized until the tragic events of June 25, 2024, when she acted on these delusions.

The Tragic Incident

On that fateful June day, Elkins carried out a methodical plan to kill her two daughters, aged 1 and 3. Court documents reveal she first took her younger daughter to one bathroom, where she stabbed the child before drowning her in the bathtub. She then took her 3-year-old daughter to a separate bathroom and drowned her as well. In a disturbing detail that emerged during the trial, Elkins admitted to police that she “counted to 50 multiple times to ensure she held them underwater for enough time.”

After committing these acts, Elkins called emergency services herself, simply stating, “I did something to my kids” and “They’re drowning.” When first responders arrived at the scene, both children were pronounced dead. Elkins was immediately taken into custody and charged with two counts of murder and weapons possession. The horrific nature of the crime sent shockwaves through the Lakewood community, particularly given that Elkins had worked at a local daycare facility prior to the incident.

The Legal Determination

Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan presided over Elkins’ case, which culminated in an unusual but definitive verdict: not guilty by reason of insanity. Multiple psychiatric experts evaluated Elkins and confirmed that she had been in the grip of severe postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings. They determined she could not distinguish right from wrong nor understand the nature of her actions due to her mental illness. The experts testified that she genuinely believed she was acting to save the world from evil.

The prosecution, led by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, did not contest the insanity defense, acknowledging the overwhelming psychiatric evidence. Judge Ryan ordered Elkins to be committed to a secure psychiatric facility for two lifetime terms, totaling 150 years. Under this arrangement, she will remain institutionalized indefinitely, with periodic evaluations to determine if she ever ceases to be a danger to herself or others—a prospect that medical experts have suggested is unlikely given the severity of her condition.

The Reality of Postpartum Psychosis

This case has drawn attention to postpartum psychosis, a severe but rare condition affecting new mothers. Unlike the more common postpartum depression, psychosis involves a complete break from reality, often including hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and bizarre behavior. In Elkins’ case, her delusions took on religious themes, with the psychologist testifying that she believed herself to be “a descendant of Hitler or evil entities” who needed to cleanse the world through her actions.

Mental health advocates have pointed to this case as evidence of the critical need for better screening and treatment options for new mothers experiencing mental health challenges. While postpartum depression has gained more recognition in recent years, postpartum psychosis remains less understood by the general public despite its potentially catastrophic consequences. The tragedy in Lakewood underscores how quickly this condition can escalate without proper medical intervention, resulting in irreversible harm to families.