WEST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A New York man was in custody Monday after police say he tried to drown his twins at a beach in Connecticut over the weekend.

At 2:30 a.m. Saturday, patrol officers approached a parked SUV at the beach in West Haven and, shortly afterward, heard screaming coming from the water, authorities said. 

The patrol officers followed the screams and found an “adult male and two small children” in the water. As the officers entered the water, police say, the man yelled, “Stay back.” Officials said that is when it was clear the man was “deliberately drowning his children.”

Additional officers and rescue boats arrived and entered the water almost 100 yards away from shore. A human chain was formed to get the children to shore, and life-saving measures were performed.

The children, who are under 3 years old, were at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital in critical condition in the intensive care unit, but said to be improving. Authorities say the children are twins — a boy and a girl.

Later Sunday evening, Borer posted on Facebook that the kids were both under pediatric critical care and making slight progress, with one of the twins taken off intubation.

Three police officers were also treated for minor injuries.

Romney Desronvil, 41, of New York, was taken into custody and charged with two counts each of attempted homicide and risk of injury.

The children’s mother was in New York at the time of the incident but has since arrived in New Haven, Connecticut, to be with her children.

At a press conference Saturday evening, West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer praised the officers and fire department members for their quick action. 

“The seconds and the timing of the police officers that just happened to be driving by when this incident was occurring, it’s really remarkable,” she said. 

Borer said when she met with the mother at the hospital to provide any support she needed.

West Shore Fire Chief Stephen Scafariello said first responders are getting peer support and help from the employee assistance program to deal with trauma after the incident. 

“Years ago, we had to keep everything bottled up inside,” he said. “It didn’t work very well for all of us, so we’re encouraging them to talk to someone, share your emotions.” 

This particular case hits home even harder, he said, seeing as it concerned children so young.

“All of our police officers, our firefighters, they’re dedicated,” he said. “To have that helpless feeling, to not be able to help a child is terrible.”