Judge Rules Mother Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
Mother acquitted by insanity in sons' deaths; found to have postpartum psychosis.
Event / Security
Dimone Fleming Insanity Verdict
Dimone Fleming, who killed her two young sons in a Bronx family shelter in 2022, was found not guilty by reason of insanity due to postpartum psychosis. Mental health experts from both prosecution and defense supported the verdict. Fleming remains in custody pending threat assessment.
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2026-08-29 to 2026-11-08 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 29 Aug, 06:04 UTC
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What happened
Judge finds mother not guilty by reason of insanity in deaths of two children
A Bronx judge ruled that Dimone Fleming is not responsible due to mental disease or defect for the deaths of her two sons, 3-year-old Daishawn and 11-month-old Octavius, who were found with multiple stab wounds in a bathtub at a family shelter in the Bronx in 2022. Mental evaluations by both prosecution and defense determined Fleming was in a state of psychosis at the time of the deaths.
Mother remains in custody pending threat evaluation
Dimone Fleming is not being released from custody following the not guilty by reason of insanity ruling. A new evaluation has been ordered to determine how she might still pose a threat to others. She is expected back in court on September 18.
Postpartum psychosis involves major hormonal changes after childbirth
According to Dr. Veerle Bergink, director of Mount Sinai Women's Health Center, postpartum psychosis is triggered by significant hormonal changes in the body and brain after delivery, including a major drop in hormone levels. The condition can lead to harmful outcomes, though such severe cases are statistically rare.
Mother charged with first-degree murder for killing sons diagnosed with postpartum psychosis
Dimone Fleming, then 22 years old, was charged with first-degree murder after police described her behavior as erratic. She later confessed to killing her two children at a Bronx family shelter in 2022. Medical evaluations determined she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time.
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