Danbury Mom Accused Of Killing Kids Provided Illegal Day Care: State

DANBURY, CT — The woman police say killed her three children before taking her own life on Wednesday had twice been cited for operating an illegal day care facility from her home, state officials said.

Maggie Adair, director of Community Relations for the state Office of Early Childhood, said her Office received an anonymous complaint on May 31 about an illegal child care operation at 10 Whaley Street in Danbury.

Three days later, staff visited the location, and confirmed the tip. They presented Sonia Loja, 36, with a "Notice of Illegal Child Care Operation" that threatened legal action and a $100 a day fine if the enterprise was not shut down, officials said.

Adair told Patch that such tips or complaints were "not rampant or common," and usually occurred only in family child care home operations.

A week after that first inspection, OEC staff paid Loja a second visit, and discovered the illegal day care center was still in operation, according to Adair. They issued Loja a second copy of the notice, in Spanish.

Early Childhood staff returned the following day, and found that Loja had shut down her child care operation, according to Adair. There is no evidence that the daycare operation was in any way connected to the deaths.

"A Truly Horrible Event"

On Wednesday, Danbury police officers were called to Loja's residence around 6:30 p.m. for a well-being check by a caller who was "distraught and crying," according to police. They found her children dead inside. Police discovered the body of their mother in the home's outside shed. A preliminary investigation determined that Loja had killed her three children.

The state Connecticut Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that Loja died from asphyxiation from suicide by hanging, according to the Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner's Office. The deaths of her three children, Junior Panjon, 12, Joselyn Panjon, 10, and Jonael Panjon, 5, were homicides: strangulation with some form of cord such as rope, wire, chain, or shoelaces.

Hearst Media has reported that Loja left her husband a letter "that explained to me that my wife was taking my kids, that she heard voices."

Patch has reached out to the Danbury Police Department for confirmation on the note. (Read more in The Greenwich Time).

In a statement released Thursday, Mayor Dean Esposito said: "A truly horrible event occurred in our city yesterday and we mourn the tragic loss of life. In the coming days, mental health and counseling services will be provided through collaboration with the Danbury Public Schools and the City of Danbury. Our community grieves for the innocent lives taken from us. We will get through this together."

The Mayor's Office and the City’s Police, Fire, Health, Education, Emergency Management, and Health Departments, along with Nuvance Health are coordinating efforts to provide services to the family and friends of the deceased.

"We Need to Come Together"

In the few days since the tragedy, a memorial of balloons and flowers has grown around the front door of 10 Whaley Street, a manifestation of grief and support from neighbors and friends of the Panjon family.

Neighbors told WFSB 3 TV "that they didn’t notice any red flags, and they never would have imagined this kind of tragedy would happen."

"Praying for the kids, for the mom, family, and showing support, you know, because it’s the time that we need to come together and show that we are family no matter where you are from," Danbury resident Mariela Rosano told Channel 3.

Two of the three children killed were students in the Danbury Public Schools, according to Superintendent Kevin Walston.

"Losing children to violence is becoming far too common in our nation and events such as these shine a light on the challenges communities face, specifically around mental health, that leave so many people vulnerable," Walston said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

The public schools have assembled a Pupil Services team that will be available at Morris Street School and Westside Middle School on Monday from 10 a.m. to noon.

If you suspect a loved one is struggling, please call or text 988 to access the National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline. The support line is available 24/7 to provide people with the help and
resources they need during a mental health crisis.