Police arrest man who allegedly tried to drown his two young children at Connecticut Beach

Authorities said an officer heard “loud screams coming from the water” before arresting the man.

A New York man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly trying to drown his two children on a Connecticut beach.

The West Haven Police Department said in a social media post on Saturday, June 22, that an officer spotted a Nissan SUV parked at a local beach and “heard loud screams coming from the water” around 2:31 a.m. local time.

Responding to the screams, the officer saw a man and two young children in the water. As the officer approached them, the man began to “walk further away with the children while yelling at the responding officers to 'stay back,'” West Haven police said.

The man, later identified as Romney Desronvil, 41, of Queens, was “deliberately drowning his children,” police said.

“The officers immediately entered the water and were almost 100 meters from shore at the time. Other officers on scene joined members of the West Shore Fire Department and entered the water using the West Shore Fire boat,” the police department continued, adding that the first officer was able to “take possession” of the children and bring them to shore with the help of other people.

The children were then transported to a local hospital and “life-saving measures” were taken by police.

Related: Father Saves 2-Year-Old Daughter From Drowning, Recalls Holding Her 'Limp' Body and Praying

Citing a Saturday press conference, local media New Haven Register reported that Police Chief Joseph Perno said Desronvil is expected to be charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of risk of injury, with the incident still under investigation.

“It was undoubtedly the quick response of our patrol officers that saved these children’s lives,” the department said. “Communication and collaborative efforts by the West Shore Fire Department and eventually the New Haven Police Department resulted in immediate medical assistance and the arrest of Desronvil.”

At the press conference shared by CT Insider, West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer acknowledged “the courageous work of our officers” for their response.

“These two kids had guardian angels this morning, and their guardian angels were named Officer Williamson and Officer Miller,” she said, calling their efforts “truly remarkable.”

Do you want to be up to date with the latest criminal news? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

According to New Haven Registerthe mayor said the children appeared to be improving, as Chief Perno added that they were both under the age of 3. Perno also reportedly said their mother was in New York at the time of the alleged drowning attempt and arrived in New Haven Saturday afternoon.

West Shore Fire Chief Stephen Scafariello added at the news conference that firefighters, EMTs and paramedics “immediately went to work” on the children when they arrived. He said it took 22 minutes from the time of dispatch to the time the children were treated at the hospital.

“I want to personally congratulate our firefighters who transported the two patients in our rescue truck,” Scafariello said. “They provided care at the highest level.”

For more People news, be sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.