Liyong Ye charged with murder in hammer attack that killed mother Zhao Zhao, critically injured 2 children in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
NEW YORK -- More is being learned about the family of the mother who police say was beaten to death with a hammer in Brooklyn. Her young children are still clinging to life.
CBS New York was outside their home on 52nd Street in Sunset Park on Thursday.
Officials said those children are now in Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, still in critical condition with severe head trauma.
Sources said that the children's father has come from out of state and is with them now.
Liyong Ye, 47, is accused of beating his roommate to death with a hammer and leaving her 5- and 3-year-old kids critically injured.
"Just two nights ago, they both were playing outside and that hurts me more, with the children seeing that," neighbor Kokila Frank said.
READ MORE: Police: Mother dead, 2 children "fighting for their lives" after Brooklyn hammer attack
Ye was arrested Wednesday after that brutal attack, which was caught on cellphone video. He is facing charges of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
Police have identified the victim as 43-year-old Zhao Zhao. CBS New York was told her husband lived out of state for work and would visit every few weeks.
"They are new immigrants coming here with very limited resources and financial pressure. The father has to work, thousand miles away, coming home once a month so he can provide the wife and two kids, and in a sharing space. That means they need to share the kitchen, the bathroom. It's really not an ideal situation," state Sen. Iwen Chu said.
Chu returned to the scene again Thursday after offering the family her condolences and any help from her office.
"I did lay out what resource, what service, we can help, including the funeral, or if they need community support," Chu said.
Neighbors like Frank, who lives across the street, are clearly disturbed by the violence that happened on their block.
"To see that, I went inside and I cried like crazy," Frank said.
One man brought a few tokens of support for the kids and left them by the building's entrance.
"I see the two children, so I feel sad because they are from China and I am also from China," the man said.
Chu said her office has gotten calls from worried residents.
"It's a limited situation. They know each other. It's not a random attack. So I try to explain to the public so they understand," Chu said.
Police said there were three families living in the three-bedroom apartment.
Officials said Ye is expected to be arraigned on Thursday night or on Friday.
