Tragic Discovery: Four-Year-Old Girl Found Alive After Family’s Death — The Heartbreaking Details of Her Survival
A four-year-old girl was found miraculously alive in her New York home, after surviving alone for an unknown period on just one food item—chocolate.
On Friday, May 2, a tragic scene unfolded when Lisa Cotton, 38, was discovered dead in the Bronx apartment. It was her eldest daughter who, worried after being unable to reach her family, went to check on them. The situation took a devastating turn when the girl found her mother’s lifeless body.
The concern began when Lisa’s landlord contacted her father, 71-year-old Hubert Cotton, asking if Lisa had left the house. Hubert shared with The New York Post, “I had been trying to call her for days, but she never answered. I thought she just didn’t want to talk to me.”
The heartbreaking discovery was made when the eldest daughter arrived at the apartment. Upon entering, she found her younger brother, eight-year-old Nazir Millien, slumped over and unresponsive. Paramedics confirmed that both Nazir and his mother were dead at the scene.
But the most unsettling part of the discovery was when the little girl was found. Promise, just four years old, was alone on her mother’s bed, calmly feeding herself chocolate. This single food source became her sole means of survival during the harrowing days that followed the death of her family.
A Heart-Wrenching Rescue: Young Girl Found Alive After Tragic Family Loss — The Aftermath and Struggles
After the discovery of her deceased family members, four-year-old Promise was rushed out of the apartment by her eldest sister, who immediately contacted authorities. In an emotional 911 call obtained by The New York Post, Lisa’s daughter described the horrifying scene, revealing that eight-year-old Nazir’s body had “bugs crawling on it.”
Despite the traumatic circumstances, Promise was sent to a nearby hospital in stable condition. She was later released and is now in the care of her grandfather, Hubert Cotton, as she begins to process the loss of her family. However, Cotton shared that his granddaughter remains silent, occasionally gazing at him as if she’s aware of something unspeakable.
“She hasn’t said anything. She’s a baby. She looks at me sometimes, you know? Like she knows something,” Cotton told The New York Post. “We don’t know anything yet, we’re just trying to find out.”
Although neighbors had reported not seeing Lisa for over two weeks, a police source noted that there was no immediate cause for concern, as no foul odors or signs of a break-in had been detected at the scene.
One neighbor shared that authorities initially stated they would return in a few days to follow up, with social workers attempting to obtain a court order to forcibly enter the apartment. But Eric Perez, who lived upstairs, revealed a more chilling truth: “The landlord hadn’t done wellness checks, people had called, neighbors called. It just smells like rat-infested… the exterminator said the same thing—the smell was similar to rats, and even death.”
The discovery of this heartbreaking situation has left neighbors, family, and authorities searching for answers about what led to the tragic deaths of Lisa and her children, and how the young girl managed to survive in such dire circumstances.
A Grandfather’s Heartache: Coping with Tragic Loss and Unanswered Questions
As Hubert Cotton grapples with the unimaginable loss of both his daughter and grandson, he is also faced with the daunting task of planning their funerals. The pain of losing two loved ones at once weighs heavily on him, and he shared his heartache in an emotional statement.
“I’m sorry. Two of them. How am I going to get the money? To bury both of them?” Hubert said, his voice filled with grief.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of Lisa, who suffered from asthma, and her son Nazir remain unclear. Authorities are still investigating the cause of their deaths, leaving Hubert and the community searching for answers. The mystery of what truly happened to Lisa and Nazir adds another layer of pain to an already tragic situation.