A Lakewood woman, Naomi Elkins, 27, appeared in court on Wednesday afternoon for a first appearance after being accused of drowning her two young daughters in their home. The hearing took place virtually via video conference from the medical wing of the Ocean County Correctional Facility.

The hearing, presided over by Superior Court Judge Scott J. Basen, lasted less than three minutes as the charges against Elkins were read. Throughout the proceedings, Elkins remained silent, her face mostly obscured by the camera angle.

It remains unclear why Elkins participated in the hearing from the medical wing, and her attorney, Mitchell Ansell, has not yet provided any comments on the matter.

The formal first appearance has been postponed until Monday morning, along with a detention hearing scheduled for the same time. Until then, Elkins will remain in jail.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, Elkins has been charged with two counts of murder and weapons charges in connection with the deaths of her children. Lakewood police responded to a distress call at Elkins' residence on Shenandoah Drive at 4:50 p.m., reporting that her 1-year-old and 3-year-old children were in cardiac arrest.

Tragically, both children were pronounced dead at the scene, with authorities revealing that the 1-year-old had also suffered stab wounds. At this time, the names of the children have not been released.

Elkins was taken into custody without incident shortly after the distress call and was subsequently transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility.

Public records indicate that Elkins does not have a prior criminal record, and she is listed as married in court documents.

As more details emerge, the community remains in shock and grief over this heartbreaking incident. The forthcoming legal proceedings will shed light on the circumstances surrounding the tragic deaths of the two young children.