by Bronx, NY – A Bronx mother was arrested for allegedly keeping her 14-year-old twin sons virtually under house arrest for nearly a decade while starving them, prosecutors said. Authorities described the case as a “shocking, horrifying form of child abuse” that left the boys severely malnourished and deprived of medical care, education, and social interaction.
Incident Overview
Lissette Soto Domenech, 64, is accused of confining her sons in their Riverdale apartment from November 3, 2016, to October 15, 2025, according to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office. The twins, both 14 years old, were reportedly underweight and below the normal height for their age when authorities intervened.
The boys were discovered after a child protective specialist from the Administration for Children’s Services responded to multiple anonymous complaints and called 911. FDNY EMTs transported the children to Montefiore Children’s Hospital, where they required three months of treatment. One twin weighed 54 pounds and the other 51 pounds.
Details from Officials
District Attorney Darcel Clark condemned the alleged abuse, stating,
“This defendant is accused of a shocking, horrifying form of child abuse, allegedly depriving her sons of proper food, social interaction, education, [and] medical attention. We will do everything we can to help these boys attain a normal life.”
Domenech was arraigned Tuesday on charges including first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, and offering a false instrument for filing. Bronx Supreme Court Justice Audrey Stone set bail at $25,000 cash or $75,000 bond. She is scheduled to appear again in court on February 4.
Timeline of Events
Investigators allege that Domenech stopped taking the boys to medical appointments in November 2016 and began submitting false documents to the Department of Education in September 2017, claiming she was homeschooling them. The boys were reportedly kept with infant cereal, baby bottles, and toddler toys, with no age-appropriate food or items. One of the twins, who is autistic, was never evaluated or provided with services.
Neighbors described the situation as shocking. One said,
“I believe she didn’t want her kids to grow up… She desperately wanted a baby… In the early days when we first came to this building, she got into tears. I said, ‘Have you got a family?’ And she got tearful and said, ‘No, not yet.’”
Family and Neighbor Accounts
The twins’ father, who recently died, had a strained but caring relationship with the children. Neighbors recalled him saying,
“My kids never leave the house… I don’t trust the world, it’s crazy.”
He reportedly brought home food and shared photos of his sons, expressing pride in their intelligence. However, after he left, Domenech allegedly assumed full control of the children, who became isolated and malnourished.
Another neighbor described Domenech as “a little nutty” and noted that residents had been concerned for the boys for years due to their lack of outdoor activity and social interaction.
Conclusion
The arrest of Lissette Soto Domenech brings attention to a rare but severe case of child abuse involving years of confinement and neglect. Authorities are working to ensure the twins receive proper care, including medical attention, socialization, and education.
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