Emonney & Emunnea

Broadway

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sierra Swan was on her way to the hospital the day her babies were born. One child was born on the way and she left that baby in the leg of her sweat pants until they reached the hospital, where the other child was born. Child Protective Services knew the couple because they had removed their two year old daughter from their home due to abuse and neglect, that child was placed in foster care, they were not aware that Sierra was about five months pregnant at that time. In the hospital, it became apparent that Sierra had not been receiving prenatal care and a Social Worker was called when she tested positive for Marijuana. CPS was called and made aware of the problem, though they said they had no open case against the couple, so they were allowed to take their twin daughters and go home. Sierra was referred to a program at the cities Health Department's Maternal And Infant Nursing Program. The program was set up to help women who had high risk pregnancies as well as to help with substance abuse. Sierra, who had run away from foster care, never enrolled in the program.

Sierra Swan, Nathaniel Broadway and their newborn twin daughters Emonney Broadway and Emunnea Broadway were living in filthy conditions in a basement of a row house. A window was covered with a white t-shirt, the couple slept on a mattress that rested on milk crates, the babies slept in a crib and the place was a mess. Clothes and furniture were all over the apartment, there was no running water or electricity and the back yard and the stairs leading to the apartment were covered with trash.

On May 11, 2004 a 911 call was made and Emonney & Emunnea were rushed to the hospital where they were pronounced dead, less than 30 minutes after the 911 call was made. Dr. Jean Ogborn said that the babies were cold to the touch which meant they had been dead for awhile before being taken to the hospital. The twin girls appeared to have been beaten and each of them had broken ribs as well as fractures to their skulls and they were both severely underweight. At birth, the girls had weighed 6 1/2 and 7 pounds, when they were brought in to the hospital, they weighed 4 1/2 and 5 pounds, they should have weighed at least nine pounds by that time.

Nathaniel said he was rarely home and that he was always gone playing sports with his friends. Nathaniel was sentenced to 30 years in prison while Sierra was sentenced to 15.