"I can't take kids that constantly cry:" 60-year-old woman charged in 1980s deaths of 3 infants, including own son
Updated: 3:30 p.m. on February 26, 2018
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Milwaukee Police have identified the three infants who were murdered allegedly by 60-year-old Nancy Moronez in the 1980s.
According to the criminal complaint, Moronez told investigators she drowned her 2-week-old son Justin Brunka and suffocated two infants she was babysitting, 6-month-old Brad Steege and 2-month-old Katie Kozeniecki.
She told police she killed them because they wouldn’t stop crying.
All three deaths were initially ruled as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS. Moronez will be back in court on Thursday.
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Posted: 3:30 p.m on February 23, 2018
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A 60-year-old woman is now facing charges after allegedly murdering three babies, including her own son in the 1980s.
Nancy Moronez is facing three charges of second-degree murder after an investigation into the sudden deaths of three babies was reopened in 2015.
According to the criminal complaint, investigators were first called to a home in the City of Franklin on March 29, 1980, for a report of an 18-day-old infant that was not breathing. Medical records showed that the child died from a lack of oxygen to the brain due to SIDS.
The Milwaukee Fire Department was again called to a home in the 7400 block of North Teutonia Avenue for a report of a deceased 6-month-old on March 16, 1984. According to the criminal complaint, the baby was found lying face down. Moronez told police that she fed the baby, who she was babysitting, a bottle of cherry juice and some fruit/cereal mix. She stated that once the baby fell asleep, she put the baby face down on the waterbed. When she went to check on the baby, she said that the baby was turned a different way and his forehead was purple looking. An autopsy ruled the death SIDS.
The Milwaukee Fire Department was again called to the home in the 7400 block of North Teutonia Avenue for a report of a deceased 11-week-old on September 15, 1985. A Lieutenant said that Moronez, who was babysitting the child at the time, did not respond to rescue crews but pointed to an area of the home and said "there it is" referring to the deceased baby.
The Lieutenant said that Moronez asked, "Do you remember me?" referring to the previous incident where crews responded for a deceased child in her home. Moronez then allegedly stated, "I told my husband that I didn't want to babysit anymore." Moronez said that she finished feeding the baby, placed her in the seat, went to the kitchen to clean up, and when she returned the baby wasn't breathing. The death of the baby was ruled SIDS.
In March of 2015, Moronez's daughter contacted police after Moronez allegedly admitted that she had killed her son, the 18-day-old infant referenced in the first incident. Moronez allegedly said that she suffocated him with a black garbage bag until he stopped crying. The investigation into the baby deaths was then reopened.
Police interviewed Moronez who then switched her story about the death of her child. She said that her son was crying and she decided to give him a bath to calm him down and that he "was in the water too long and turned purple." Moronez then admitted that she was frustrated with the crying and put him in the water until she saw bubbles coming out of his nose and mouth.
According to the criminal complaint, Moronez stated that when her daughter was born she made a promise to God that she would not do anything to her daughter to hurt her if she was crying. Later in the interview, Moronez said: "I made a promise, but I broke it."
Moronez then allegedly admitted to suffocating the 6-month-old by wrapping a blanket around his face because she was "frustrated." She also allegedly admitted to suffocating the 11-week-old because she "can't take kids that constantly cry."