UWS Nanny Accused Of Murdering Kids Due In Court
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Upper West Side nanny accused of murdering two of the young children in her care last fall is due in court Thursday.
Yoselyn Ortega, 50, has been charged with two counts each of first-degree and second-degree murder for fatally stabbing 6-year-old Lucia Krim and her 2-year-old brother Leo with a kitchen knife on Oct. 25, 2012.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting trial.
The children were found in a bathtub by their mother when she returned home with her third child to the family's luxury apartment building at 75th and Columbus Avenue. Each had been stabbed multiple times with a kitchen knife, police said.
Ortega was hospitalized for weeks with what police said were self-inflicted stab wounds stemming from the incident.
Meanwhile, the children's parents have started the nonprofit, the Lulu and Leo Fund, which is aimed at giving money to arts programs.
Kevin and Marina Krim said they are healing by grieving together.
Kevin Krim said that they found a reason to go on by turning to each other, and to their friends and family.
"We had every reason to feel alienated from the world after this happened,'' he said. "And to really, truly survive and to live again, we had to have a reason to live.''
He said they miss their children every day, and they will forever. "We are just heartbroken,'' he said. "But they inspire us every day as well. Their lives give us a purpose.''
Krim, a CNBC digital media executive, said the art and creativity were important to Lulu and Leo, and that's why they started the fund.
The nonprofit late last month announced its first grant would go to Free Arts NYC, a nonprofit that provides under-served children and families with mentoring programs through the arts. The fund specifically supports the Free Arts "Parents and Children Together with Art'' program, where families work to increase communication and teamwork.
On Wednesday, the couple was hosting a silent auction with items including four tickets to "Saturday Night Live'' and an on-set pass for "Sesame Street.''
Last month, Marina Krim gave birth to her son, Felix Harrison Krim.
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