In one of the most gut-wrenching moments to emerge from the Coney Island triple child drowning case, the final words of 4-year-old Liliana Stephens have been revealed — a terrified plea that now haunts everyone who hears it. Just hours before she was allegedly drowned by her own mother, little Liliana looked at her father and grandmother and whispered the words no child should ever have to say:

“I’m scared to go back to Mommy.”

Those five simple words, spoken with fear and innocence, have become the emotional centerpiece of a tragedy that has shocked New York and the entire nation. Liliana, along with her two brothers Zachary (7) and Oliver (3 months), was allegedly killed by their mother, Erin Merdy, in the cold waters off Coney Island on September 12, 2022. But it is Liliana’s desperate last plea to stay with her father that has left the deepest scar on all who have followed the case.

Shamir Small, Liliana’s father, stood in court during Erin Merdy’s sentencing and shared the heartbreaking memory. With his voice breaking, he recounted how his daughter had begged not to return to her mother. “The last thing Lily said to me and my mother — which will forever haunt me — was ‘I’m scared to go back to Mommy, and want to stay here with you and grandma’,” he told the court.

That single sentence carries the weight of a child who sensed danger but lacked the power to escape it. Liliana was non-verbal in many situations due to developmental challenges, making her ability to clearly express fear even more significant. She knew something was wrong. She tried to warn the adults who loved her. Yet somehow, she was still sent back.

Erin Merdy, 34, was sentenced to 20 years to life after pleading guilty to the murders. During her statement in court, she claimed she was in a “blur” due to severe postpartum depression and could not remember most of what happened that night. She said the children’s deaths were “not in vain” because she had used her time on Rikers Island to speak with other women struggling with mental health.

But for Liliana’s father and the rest of the family, those words offered little comfort. The pain of knowing their little girl was afraid — and that her fear was ignored — remains unbearable. Shamir Small described the moment he said goodbye to his daughter that day: “I told her, ‘I hope I see you again.’” He never did.

The Coney Island case has raised painful questions about how society handles mental health crises, child custody decisions, and the warning signs that are too often missed. Liliana’s plea was not the first indication of trouble. Family members say there had been previous concerns about Erin Merdy’s ability to care for the children safely. Yet somehow, the system allowed the visits to continue.

In court, relatives of the victims spoke of the unimaginable void left behind. One family member called Erin Merdy a “monster” who replaced their joy with “a lifetime of grief.” The image of three small children — including a baby only three months old — being taken into the ocean by their own mother is almost too horrific to comprehend.

For Shamir Small and his family, the grief is compounded by the knowledge that Liliana tried to speak up. She wanted to stay. She was scared. And in the end, her fear proved tragically justified.

This case has sparked widespread discussion about parental rights, mental health intervention, and the protection of vulnerable children. Many are asking how a mother’s struggle with postpartum depression could escalate to such a devastating outcome, and what changes need to be made to prevent similar tragedies.

As Erin Merdy begins her sentence, the families left behind must find a way to live with their loss. Liliana’s final words will likely echo in their hearts forever — a small child’s last attempt to be heard, to be safe, to be loved.

In the bustling shadow of Coney Island’s famous boardwalk, where laughter and joy are supposed to fill the air, one little girl’s terrified plea has become a permanent reminder of how fragile safety can be, even in the arms of a parent.

Liliana Stephens may have been taken too soon, but her courage in speaking her fear will not be forgotten. Her story demands that we listen more carefully to children, watch more closely over struggling families, and never again dismiss a small voice saying “I’m scared.”

Some goodbyes are painful. This one is devastating.