Caught on Camera

New video shows scene on I-95 where twins who died were found unresponsive

Shirlene Alcime is facing child abuse charges in February incident that left her twin children dead

NBC Universal, Inc.

New dash camera footage shows authorities responding to the scene on Interstate 95 in Miami-Dade shortly after a mother jumped off an overpass as her twin children were found unresponsive and later died back in February.

The two children, a boy and a girl who were fraternal 3-year-old twins, were found after officers responded to a call for a medical emergency on northbound I-95 near the Florida's Turnpike extension around 2 a.m. on Feb. 2.

The twins' mother, Shirlene Napoleon Alcime, jumped off the overpass as first responders arrived at the scene.

The South Florida mother who jumped off Interstate 95 after her 3-year-old twins were found unresponsive inside a car earlier this month has been arrested in connection with the childrens' deaths, officials said. NBC6's Niko Clemmons reports

The footage obtained by NBC6 on Tuesday shows a Florida Highway Patrol trooper responding to the scene a short time later, after several Miami-Dade Police officers and fire rescue workers had already arrived.

Alcime's silver Toyota Highlander can be seen on the side of the highway with its doors open as paramedics are seen running.

Radio transmissions between law enforcement can be heard in the background.

"We have a black female that jumped off the bridge and is laying on the tracks, we're northbound 95 right before the Turnpike," says one person.

"Is she still alive?" a person asks several minutes later.

"She is," another person responds.

Alcime, 42, was hospitalized but survived, and was later arrested and charged with two counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm in the deaths of the twins, identified as Milendhet and Milendhere G. Napoleon-Cadet.

Twins Identified in I-95 Incident
Family Photos
The three-year-old twins who died after being found unresponsive in a car along I-95 have been identified as Milendhet and Milendhere Napoleon-Cadet.

According to an arrest report, Alcime told investigators she'd been plotting to kill the two children and herself for the previous two months, "due to her current financial status and multiple debt(s) that she owes."

The arrest report said Alcime drove around with the twins throughout the day on Feb. 1, looking for a bridge to jump from before she finally decided on the I-95 overpass.

"The defendant admitted to contemplating jumping off the bridge with both victims or throwing them off one by one and then jumping to end their lives," the report said.

According to the report, a tow truck driver happened to be passing and saw Alcime outside her vehicle and stopped to help her.

Alcime told the driver to call 911 because her children were unresponsive, and as he called 911 he removed the boy from his car seat and started to give him CPR.

The driver told Alcime to remove the girl from her car seat and give her CPR, but as first responders were approaching with lights and sirens blaring, Alcime walked away and threw herself off the overpass, the report said.

"The defendant admitted to walking away while both victims were foaming at the mouth, once she heard the police sirens. The defendant then jumped over the overpass bridge landing on the ground beneath to end her life."

Alcime was asked what she gave the twins to ingest that caused them to foam at the mouth and become unresponsive, but denied giving them anything and said she didn't know what happened, the report said.

NBC 6 is still awaiting results from the Miami-Dade medical examiner on the twins' cause of death.

Shirlene Napoleon Alcime
Miami-Dade Corrections
Shirlene Napoleon Alcime

Alcime had appeared in court by video conference from a hospital bed in jail on Feb. 16, where Judge Mindy Glazer ordered her held without bond.

"I am holding you with no bond on count one, for the child abuse, count two for child abuse, although I think there may be a probable cause for murder as well, but that's up to the state to file that charge," Glazer said.

"She's talking about murder…" Alcime started to say, before her public defender cut her off and told her not to discuss the case.

"That arrest affidavit, it looks like you killed your children and you then tried to kill yourself, so that's why there may be probable cause for different charges but it's up to the state's attorney," Glazer responded.

Contact Us