Stephanie Castillo: Bronx Woman Arrested Five Years After Newborn Twins Found Dead

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In 2020, a set of twin baby boys were found dead behind an apartment building in the Bronx.

Nearly five years later, 36-year-old Stephanie Castillo has finally been arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter in connection to the deaths of her newborn twin boys.

The heartbreaking case began on November 9, 2020, when the superintendent of a Bronx apartment building called 911 after finding two lifeless infants wrapped in brown paper in the building’s courtyard. 

Emergency responders rushed the babies to a nearby hospital, but they were pronounced dead shortly after arrival.  

Baby Zeke and Baby Zane's Funeral 


For years, the true identities of the boys, who were later named Baby Zeke and Baby Zane by the NYPD, remained a mystery.

Despite a thorough investigation by the local police department, they couldn’t figure out who left the babies there, and no arrests were made at the time.

Then in April 2021, the Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that the babies were murdered, and that their deaths were caused by severe injuries to the head and body.

Police continued to push for answers, and even offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

However, the case went cold — until now.

On Friday, July 25, 2025, detectives arrested Stephanie Castillo at a Bronx homeless shelter and mental health facility, where she had been living. 

Stephanie Castillo being arrested


According to the New York Times, Castillo was living with her parents in the same apartment building where the twins were found.

Also, her parents had no idea she was pregnant at the time, as she didn’t show any visible signs of pregnancy.

So when the babies were discovered, Castillo's parents had no idea they were their own grandchildren or that their daughter was involved.

But thanks to advancements in DNA technology, investigators were finally able to crack the case.

“You look at the way that DNA technology has progressed over the last couple of years, and we are at the forefront of it,” said Assistant Chief Michael Baldassano. “This case speaks to that,” he added.

In September 2021, NYPD officers organized a funeral for Baby Zeke and Baby Zane, even though their real identities were still unknown at the time.

Since then, the department and local residents have held yearly vigils to honor the babies’ memory.

Castillo’s parents also attended these vigils — unaware that the babies were their own grandchildren, and that their daughter was the one behind it.

Now that Castillo is in custody, many are hoping this arrest brings some sense of justice — even though there are still unanswered questions about what led to such a heartbreaking tragedy.

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