A Bronx judge found Dimone Fleming, a 26-year-old mother, not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect for the deaths of her two children, 3-year-old Daishawn Fleming and 11-month-old Octavius Canada, in 2022. The ruling was made on Monday, as jurors in Massachusetts are deliberating a similar case involving Lindsay Clancy.
According to psychiatrist Dr. Eric Goldsmith, who evaluated Fleming at the request of the prosecution, she was "grossly psychotic and out of touch with reality" at the time of the killings. Goldsmith noted that Fleming was hallucinating and believed that the world was ending, as well as thinking that a spirit had invaded her body.
A forensic psychiatrist report indicated that Fleming believed her actions were necessary to protect or "cleanse" her children. Prior to the incident, Fleming had been treated for two months at a Queens hospital for major depressive disorder and had been prescribed psychotropic medication, which she reportedly did not take as directed, opting instead to use marijuana daily, exacerbating her mental health issues.
On November 26, 2022, a shelter employee called 911 due to reports of water and smoke coming from Fleming’s apartment. Upon arrival, police found Fleming "acting irrationally" and took her to the hospital for evaluation, initially overlooking the deceased children, who were found later by Fleming’s boyfriend, Columbus Canada.
Fleming allegedly confessed to the killings and made statements about the "devil" to detectives. She was charged with first-degree murder. During the trial, Bronx assistant district attorney Tiffany Wichman stated that prosecuting mothers does not prevent such crimes and emphasized the importance of public discourse on the issue.
Fleming will not be released from custody immediately and is set to be re-evaluated by court-appointed psychiatrists, with a court return scheduled for September 18. The judge will determine the next steps regarding her potential threat to others. While she avoids prison, Fleming may remain hospitalized for an extended period.
Columbus Canada expressed forgiveness towards Fleming, stating, "She’s a good person. She was a loving person. She loved kids." Fleming’s case has drawn comparisons to Lindsay Clancy’s trial, where Clancy is also seeking a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity due to postpartum psychosis.