It’s hard to imagine the pain a family goes through when a home turns violent — especially when a mother loses her life and her children are left to heal from deep wounds.

In a heartbreaking case from New York, a man’s cruel actions have devastated a family forever.

The Horrific Crime That Shocked a Community

Back in early September 2024, Drew Garnier, 33, allegedly attacked his pregnant wife Samantha, 29, stabbing her to death while she was five months pregnant.

What makes this tragedy even harder to grasp is that Drew then turned the violence toward his two young daughters, Adelina, 9, and Izzie, 6, trying to harm them as well.

Emergency responders rushed to their Masonville home after frantic calls reporting a domestic dispute.

Drew was arrested on the spot, while Samantha was airlifted to a hospital, where she sadly passed away.

Fortunately, Adelina and Izzie survived but with serious injuries that required hospitalization.

The Disturbing Motive Behind the Attack

During the legal proceedings, it came to light that Drew’s violence was driven by anger over the gender of his unborn child.

Samantha was expecting a girl, and according to Samantha’s father, Gregory Vernagallo, 66, Drew’s motive was heartbreakingly simple — he wanted a boy instead.

Gregory, who has since adopted Adelina and Izzie, shared how the girls are still struggling with the trauma of witnessing their mother’s death and surviving an attack by their own father.

“I am their father now, I will protect them,” he said, showing his fierce commitment to their healing and safety.

The Courtroom Battle and Sentencing

Drew pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter for killing Samantha and first-degree assault for attacking his daughters.

On May 13, 2025, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison plus 15 years of supervised release afterward.

In court, Drew asked to be allowed contact with his daughters if they ever wanted to talk to him.

This request was quickly blocked by District Attorney Shawn Smith, who argued that protecting the children’s recovery was paramount.

Judge John Hubbard agreed, issuing a no-contact order that will last until 2056 — though the girls can decide to lift it when they’re ready.

Plea Deal Sparks Mixed Reactions

While many felt the sentence was not severe enough given the horrific nature of the crime, prosecutors explained their reasoning behind the plea deal.

Shawn Smith emphasized that the decision was made to spare the girls from reliving their trauma in a lengthy trial, allowing them to focus on healing instead.

“This sentence is not perfect,” Smith said, “but it spares the children the trauma of a trial.”

A Judge’s Strong Words for a Cold-Hearted Crime

Judge Hubbard did not hold back his feelings during sentencing. “You took a life and injured your children.

They had a right to expect protection from you,” he said before ordering Drew to be taken into state custody.

Remembering Samantha — A Devoted Mother Taken Too Soon

Though nothing can undo the loss of Samantha, those who knew her remember her as a loving mother who adored her children.

A GoFundMe page set up in her memory raised over $23,000 to support the family, reflecting the deep impact she had on her community.

Samantha was due to give birth to her third child in February, a future that was cruelly stolen from her.