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U.S. NEWS Thursday 19 april 2018

Nanny who killed kids while parents away convicted of murder

By COLLEEN LONG announce itself like a bad
Associated Press cough or a limp,” Van Leer-
NEW YORK (AP) — A once- Greenberg said during
trusted nanny who butch- closing arguments. “Some-
ered two children in her times it sneaks up and nes-
care while their parents tles in before anyone takes
were away was convicted notice.”
of murder by a jury that But prosecutors maintained
didn’t believe her claims that Ortega, who’s from
she was too insane at the the Dominican Republic,
time of the crime to be acted out of jealous hatred
held responsible. of the children’s mother.
Jurors on Wednesday “She did it intentionally with
found Yoselyn Ortega a full understanding of ex-
knew what she was doing actly what it was she was
when she killed Lucia Krim, doing — every stab, every
6, and Leo Krim, 2, in Octo- slash,” Assistant District At-
ber 2012. Ortega expressed torney Stuart Silberg said
no reaction to the verdict, during closing arguments.
staring straight ahead as it The verdict capped an
was read, but later wiped emotional seven-week trial
tears from her eyes as she that kept jurors and mem-
was led from the court- bers of the audience in
room. tears. Jurors heard heart- In this Thursday, March 1, 2018 file image from video, Yoselyn Ortega, a trusted nanny to a well-
The children’s father, Kevin wrenching testimony from to-do family, listens to court proceedings during the first day of her trial, in New York.
Krim, sat in the front row, Marina Krim, who spoke of Associated Press
clasping hands with two the sickening, desperate “It was a scream you can’t was still kind of an auburn Marina Krim is a stay-at-
alternate jurors who had moments when she saw imagine is even inside of tint to it that I remember to home mom, and Kevin Krim
been dismissed but stayed her children’s vacant eyes, you,” she testified. “I don’t this day.” is a former CNBC executive
for the verdict. He hugged their small bodies perforat- even know where it came Jurors, who deliberated for now at a startup. They use
them, and they wept to- ed by stab wounds. from. I just thought: ‘I’m more than a day, said the a Facebook page to post
gether. Krim had been at a swim- never going to be able to trial affected them deeply. updates on how they’re
The children’s mother, Ma- ming class with her 3-year- talk to them ever again. One, David Curtis, an ac- doing, writing about the ar-
rina Krim, who had returned old daughter, Nessie. Orte- They are dead. I just saw tor, said it was difficult for rival of two new children,
home to discover them ga was to have dropped my kids dead.’” him to set aside thoughts Felix, born in 2013, and
dead in a blood-soaked off Lucia at her dance Lucia, nicknamed Lulu, of his own children, now in Linus, born in 2016.
bathroom, was not in the class, and Krim was to pick was stabbed more than their 20s. The couple started the Lulu
audience but posted pho- her up. But when Krim ar- 30 times, and Leo was “It is horrifying to think of be- and Leo Fund, which aims
tos of them online after rived, Lucia wasn’t there. stabbed five times. ing in a position of having to to support innovative art
the verdict and expressed Krim frantically tried to At Ortega’s trial, the chil- experience or go through programs for children. After
her undying adoration for reach Ortega, who had dren’s father, who had the process that the Krims the verdict, they posted a
them, writing, “I love you.” worked for the family for been on a business trip had to go through,” said collage of images of Lulu
Ortega’s lawyer Valerie more than two years. and received news of their Curtis, who had tears in his and Leo.
Van Leer-Greenberg didn’t Krim spoke of coming home deaths when his plane eyes. On Instagram, Marina Krim
dispute that Ortega killed to an eerily quiet apart- landed, spoke of walking “Marina and Kevin have posted a photo from atop
the children but contended ment, darkened but for the down a long hallway at the lived through the worst the Empire State Building.
she had an undiagnosed light in the back bathroom, hospital where he saw their nightmare any parent “You two never made it
mental illness that wors- where she found the chil- bodies. could endure,” Vance said. to the top but I’m up here
ened in the moments lead- dren and Ortega, who had “They still had this perfect Ortega, who’s 55, faces life now for the first time, in
ing up to the attack. She stabbed herself in a failed skin and these long eye- in prison when she’s sen- peace, on top of the world,
said Ortega snapped and suicide attempt. lashes,” Kevin Krim said. tenced next month. Had remembering another life-
didn’t know what she was Krim ran to the landing out- “They had like sandy brown she been found not re- time and thinking of you,”
doing when she stabbed side the apartment clutch- hair. ... You could see they sponsible, she would have she wrote. “NYC, Lulu and
the children to death. ing Nessie and started tried really hard to wash all been committed to a men- Leo loved you and I love
Mental illness “does not screaming. the blood out, but there tal institution. you too!”q