Children Found in Filth, Eating Foam Mattress
Bronx Voice
June 27, 2023
BRONX - Two young girls were found naked, bruised, sitting in filth and starving, eating the foam off a mattress, in a vacant NYCHA apartment, prosecutors said. A couple has been charged with kidnapping and child endangerment.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendants allegedly kept these little girls in a house of horrors. They illegally occupied an apartment and left the children alone without food or clothing. Fortunately, police rescued the girls, and a nurse discovered signs of abuse for which they are being treated. The situation is beyond the pale.”
Clark said the defendants, Stephanie Grabowski, 40, and Mark Russell, 45, who were squatters in apartment at 300 East 138th Street, were indicted on two counts of second-degree Kidnapping, two counts of second-degree Unlawful Imprisonment, second-degree Burglary, and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, for conduct that occurred on or about May 3, 2023 in the apartment.
Grabowski additionally was indicted on two counts of first-degree Kidnapping for conduct occurring on or about and between, November 14, 2023 through May 3, 2023 at 420 East 169th Street and the 138th Street apartment.
They were arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio and bail was continued for Grabowski at $150,000 cash/$400,000 bond/$400,000 partially secured bond at 10%, and for Russell at $100,000 cash/$200,000 bond/$200,000 partially secured bond at 10%. They are due back in court on September 13, 2023.
According to the indictment, on May 3, 2023 at approximately 10:30 a.m., NYPD Officers from PSA 8 and Field Intelligence Detectives were vacating a NYCHA apartment at 300 East 138th Street that was inhabited by known squatters, and upon entry were determined to be Russell and Grabowski. The apartment was in terrible condition with urine and feces about the place and there did not appear to be sufficient food, amenities, clothing or clean diapers. The officers observed the doorknob of a bedroom and doorknob of an adjacent closet door tied together with a ropelike cord. They kicked in the bedroom door and found two girls naked and bruised on a filthy spongelike mattress on the floor, and feces, dirty diapers and garbage throughout the room. One officer observed the children to be eating pieces of the mattress.
Officers discovered that Grabowski had a Family Court warrant after absconding from Administration for Children’s Services in November 2022, and brought her to Family Court. Orders of Protection were issued at that time. The officers brought the children to the Children’s Advocacy Center on May 4, where a nurse examined the children and enhanced the case, and alerted the NYPD Bronx Child Abuse Squad.
On May 5, the girls were examined at Jacobi Medical Center, where they were observed to have significant bruising and marks in various stages of healing, rashes throughout their bodies and difficulties walking, standing and speaking.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt
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