In a shocking turn of events, a Bronx woman allegedly kept her twin sons completely isolated from the world for nine years. 64-year-old Lissette Soto Domenech has been accused of child abuse after keeping her 14-year-old children starving and locked up at home.
The case came to light in October 2025 when an NYC Administration for Children’s Services child protective specialist paid a visit to Domenech’s home on Mosholu Avenue in Riverdale, Bronx.
To their shock, the specialist found two malnourished children, one of whom turned out to be autistic. The ACS had received several anonymous complaints about the place, which prompted the action.
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Emergency services were then contacted, who rushed the children to a hospital. Meanwhile, Domenech was arrested by the authorities. The twins had to spend three months under observation as they weighed only 54 and 51 pounds. They also did not look tall enough for their age.
When the authorities searched the house, they found food and toys appropriate only for toddlers, not young teenagers. It turns out that Domenech had allegedly deprived the kids of food, education, social interaction, and even medical attention for years.
The poor kids’ plight began in November 2016, when Domenech stopped letting them leave the house. She did not even take them to doctors’ appointments.
As for schooling, the accused submitted false documents to the New York Department of Education, citing that she was homeschooling her twins.
According to neighbors quoted by The New York Post, things were still somewhat better for the boys while their father was alive. Even though he, too, was against their worldly interactions, he used to bring them food.
Things eventually turned sour between Domenech and her husband, and the children stayed with their mother for years. Their father later passed away.
Talking about how the man guarded the children from going out, a neighbor said, “He told me ‘My kids never leave the house’ and that they’re homeschooled. He said he doesn’t trust the world, like he’s afraid, he said ‘the world’s crazy.”
Another neighbor has a different theory about why Domenech starved her children. They say that the woman did not want her kids to grow up and wanted them to remain babies forever.
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The neighbor stated, “I believe she didn’t want her kids to grow up… She desperately wanted a baby.” While the parents had different logics behind keeping their children isolated, the kids ended up suffering for almost a decade.
The autistic boy was not evaluated and never received any medical treatment. Domenech is now locked up and is facing charges of first-degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment, and offering a false instrument for filing.
Her next hearing is scheduled for February. Providing details of the case, Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said, “[Domenech] engaged in conduct that created a grave risk of death to the boys and caused serious physical injury to them.”
The attorney added that the authorities will do everything in their power to ensure a normal life for the victims. Meanwhile, Domenech’s bail has been set at $25,000 cash or $75,000 bond.
