Authorities have reported that a suspect is currently in police custody after a woman and two children were discovered dead in an apartment in Jersey City.
Police responded to a 911 call at 1 a.m. and went to a basement apartment on Hutton Street near Liberty Avenue. Detectives said they discovered a damaged window and shattered glass on the pavement outside. Inside, a mother was found unconscious, as were a 9-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter, both of whom had been stabbed.
A tragic incident unfolded when 31-year-old Luisa Urbano lost her life at the scene, as confirmed by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office. The incident also claimed the lives of her two children, Juan Martin Urbano and his younger sister, Diana Ramirez, who were quickly transported to Jersey City Medical Center but unfortunately succumbed to their injuries soon after.
The cause and manner of death for the three individuals have not yet been determined. According to the prosecutor’s office, the killings are being classified as an act of domestic violence.
“She was the mother…always with her kids. Can’t say a bad word about her,” said a neighbor who only identified himself as James. “They all lived together, and it just sounds like something that happened all of the sudden.”
John Paredes, another resident in the vicinity, recounted that he could distinctly hear the sound of shrill screams and the shattering of glass.
The authorities have yet to determine the nature of the connection between the suspect, who has been identified as Napoleon Romero-Anduray by the county prosecutor’s office, and the victims. According to the mayor of Jersey City, Romero-Anduray allegedly attempted to harm himself before being apprehended. He was subsequently transported to the hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery.
Romero-Anduray has been accused by the prosecutor’s office of three counts of first-degree murder, along with weapon possession. At this time, there is no available information regarding the attorney representing the 31-year-old.
The investigation was still in progress.