A disturbing case of child abuse has come to light in the Bronx, where a mother has been accused of keeping her twin sons locked up and starving them for nearly a decade. Lissette Soto Domenech, 64, was arrested on charges of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, and offering a false instrument for filing. The Bronx District Attorney’s Office revealed that the boys, now 14 years old, were found in a deplorable state when investigators intervened.
According to prosecutors, the boys were kept under house arrest at their Riverdale home from November 3, 2016, to October 15, 2025. When a child protective specialist received anonymous complaints and visited the home, they immediately called 911. The boys were found severely malnourished, with one weighing only 54 pounds and the other 51 pounds, well below the normal weight for their age. Additionally, both boys were significantly below the average height for their age group.
One of the boys, who is autistic, had never received proper evaluation or services. The apartment where they were kept had only infant cereal, baby bottles, and toddler toys, with no age-appropriate food or items in sight. The boys were rushed to Montefiore Children’s Hospital by FDNY EMTs, where they required treatment for three months to recover from the severe neglect they had endured.
Domenech allegedly stopped taking the boys to a doctor in November 2016 and began submitting false documents to the Department of Education in September 2017, claiming she was homeschooling them. This false pretense allowed her to conceal the abuse and neglect the boys were facing.
During her arraignment, Bronx Supreme Court Justice Audrey Stone ordered Domenech to be held on $25,000 cash bail or $75,000 bond. District Attorney Darcel Clark expressed shock and horror at the extent of the abuse, emphasizing the need to help the boys recover and lead normal lives.
The case has sparked outrage and concern in the community, with many calling for justice for the twin boys who suffered for years under their mother’s care. Domenech is scheduled to appear in court again on February 4, where further details of the case will be revealed.
