Cops stop NY father from allegedly drowning children in Conn.

June 22 (UPI) -- Two children are in intensive care after police in West Haven, Conn., stopped their father from allegedly drowning them early Saturday.

A West Haven police officer noticed a Nissan SUV was parked on a local beach at about 2:30 a.m. EDT and heard children screaming from the water.

The officer followed the sounds of screaming and discovered a man in the water with two small children, West Haven Police public information officer Sgt. Patrick Buturla told local media .

The officer went into the water as the man and children drifted farther from shore.

The man yelled at the officer to stay away while the children continued screaming

Other responding officers and members of the West Shore Fire Department also entered the water on foot and using a West Shore Fire vessel.

The officer who first discovered the SUV realized the man, later identified as Romney Desonvril, 41, Queens, N.Y., was trying to drown the children , Buturla said.

Several responding officers swam about 100 yards from shore while others approached in the fire department's boat to rescue the children and apprehend Desonvril.

Desonvril was arrested and is in custody while awaiting an arraignment hearing on pending charges.