The heartbreaking tragedy that unfolded in a New York apartment has left a community reeling with shock and sorrow. Lisa Cotton, 38, and her eight-year-old son, Nazir Millien, were found dead in their apartment under mysterious and tragic circumstances. Their 4-year-old daughter, Promise, was discovered in a profoundly distressing condition, alone in the home, living in the presence of their decaying bodies for weeks. The young girl had survived on chocolate, her face smeared with it, when she was found by her aunt during a visit to check on the family.
The death of Lisa and Nazir appears to be the result of prolonged neglect, with no immediate signs of physical trauma or foul play. According to authorities, Lisa may have died from cardiac arrest, a condition she had suffered from for years due to asthma. Nazir, who had special needs and was reliant on a feeding tube, likely succumbed to starvation. However, the exact timeline of their deaths remains unclear, as medical officials continue to investigate.
Promise's survival in such conditions was nothing short of miraculous, but the details surrounding her ordeal are deeply unsettling. When her aunt arrived and called the authorities, they found no immediate cause to intervene. Neighbors, however, had been reporting a foul odor emanating from the apartment for several days but were not able to get anyone to respond. This prompted an anonymous 911 call, which sent officers to the flat, but after they knocked on the door and received no answer, they left without taking further action, despite the growing concerns from the community.
It wasn’t until the landlord of the apartment called Lisa’s father, Hubert Cotton, 71, to inquire about her whereabouts that the gravity of the situation became clear. The landlord’s concern about the possibility that Lisa might have vacated the apartment prompted Hubert to send his eldest daughter to investigate. When she arrived at the apartment, she was horrified to find Promise, alone and in a deeply distressed state, "feeding herself with chocolate" while lying next to her deceased mother on the bed. The heartbreaking scene revealed the depth of the neglect the child had endured during the weeks following her mother's death.
Promise’s survival on chocolates alone is a tragic testament to the young girl’s resilience in the face of unimaginable hardship. Doctors have reported that Promise was in stable condition upon being taken to the hospital, although the psychological trauma of such an experience will likely have a lasting impact on her.
This case has raised numerous questions about the level of response from authorities, who were reportedly slow to intervene despite early warning signs. Neighbors had complained about the odor coming from the apartment, but it was not until the landlord reached out to Hubert Cotton that a family member discovered the unimaginable horror inside. There is a growing concern over how a child could have been left in such a vulnerable situation for so long without any intervention from authorities or those around her.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about how a mother and son were allowed to perish under these circumstances and why it took so long for anyone to notice the plight of Promise. The family is left grieving two deaths and the trauma experienced by a young child who will likely need significant support to recover from such a devastating ordeal.
