95-Year-Old Dementia Patient Charged in Death of Holocaust Survivor at Brooklyn Nursing Home

95-Year-Old Dementia Patient Charged in Death of Holocaust Survivor at Brooklyn Nursing Home

Brooklyn, NY — September 17, 2025 — A shocking incident at a Brooklyn nursing home has left the community reeling after 95-year-old dementia patient Galina Smirnova was charged with murdering her roommate, 89-year-old Holocaust survivor Nina Kravtsov.

According to prosecutors, the tragic event occurred at the Seagate Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Coney Island. Smirnova allegedly bludgeoned Kravtsov with the pedal of her wheelchair on Sunday night. The nursing staff discovered Kravtsov motionless in her bed with severe head injuries, and blood was found throughout the room. One wheelchair pedal was on the floor inside the room, covered in blood, while the other had been discarded outside the window.

Kravtsov, who survived the Holocaust after losing her entire family, was rushed to NYU Langone Brooklyn Hospital but was pronounced dead early Monday morning. Her daughter, Lucy Flom, described her mother as a devoted nurse and loving parent who had sacrificed greatly for her family.

Smirnova, appearing frail and confused in a wheelchair during her court arraignment, faces murder and weapons charges and is being held at Bellevue Hospital’s jail ward. The judge denied a psychiatric evaluation, stating it was premature. Smirnova’s legal team has indicated they may pursue a bail application once an appropriate placement can be arranged given her age and health.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of this horrifying crime. The Brooklyn community and Kravtsov’s family are left grappling with the loss of a survivor whose life and legacy were marked by resilience and care for others.