TOMS RIVER, NJ – Naomi Elkins, a 27-year-old mother from Lakewood, New Jersey, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity in the tragic deaths of her two young daughters, ages 1 and 3, whom she killed in June 2024.
The ruling came during a trial that concluded this week in Ocean County Superior Court, shedding light on Elkins’ severe mental health struggles and her delusional beliefs at the time of the killings.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, a court-appointed psychologist testified that Elkins believed the deaths of her children would “eradicate all evil in the world” and hasten the arrival of the Messiah. The psychologist, whose evaluation was part of a months-long psychiatric review, described Elkins as suffering from a profound psychotic episode rooted in religious delusions.
“She was convinced that this act was a necessary sacrifice for a greater divine purpose,” the expert told the court.
Elkins was arrested on June 25, 2024, after authorities responded to a distress call at her Shenandoah Drive home.
According to police reports, she admitted to stabbing her 1-year-old daughter and drowning her in a bathtub, then drowning her 3-year-old in a separate tub. In her statements to investigators, Elkins said she had been praying intensely and felt compelled to act “for religious reasons” after returning home from her job at Giggl Daycare in Lakewood.
The case has gripped the local Orthodox Jewish community, where Elkins lived, and raised broader questions about mental health support. Her attorney, Mitchell Ansell, had argued from the outset that Elkins’ actions were the result of a “well-documented history of severe mental illness.” Ansell emphasized that his client’s deteriorating condition had gone unaddressed, culminating in the devastating events of that June day.
Prosecutors initially charged Elkins with two counts of murder, weapons offenses, and child endangerment. However, as the trial progressed, evidence of her mental state—including testimony from multiple mental health experts—shifted the focus to her lack of criminal responsibility. Under New Jersey law, a not guilty by reason of insanity verdict requires proof that the defendant did not understand the nature of their actions or could not distinguish right from wrong due to mental illness.
Judge Guy P. Ryan, presiding over the case, accepted the insanity defense on Tuesday, ruling that Elkins would be committed to a state psychiatric facility rather than face prison time.
The length of her confinement will depend on ongoing evaluations of her mental health and potential risk to society.
For now, Naomi Elkins remains in custody at a medical facility, her fate tied to a long road of psychiatric care. The case serves as a somber reminder of the devastating consequences of untreated mental illness, leaving a community—and a courtroom—searching for answers in the wake of unimaginable loss.
