A 95-year-old woman has been charged with murder following the death of her roommate at a Brooklyn nursing home. Galina Smirnova faces charges of second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of 89-year-old Nina Kravtsov.

The incident occurred at the Seagate Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Coney Island on Sunday night. Police responded to the facility around 10:30 p.m. and found Kravtsov unresponsive in her bed, covered in blood and with visible injuries to her face and head. According to a criminal complaint, she had sustained fractures and died early Monday morning from blunt force trauma.

Witnesses reported that Smirnova was found in the bathroom washing blood from her hands. She was wearing a bloody hospital gown and had blood on her legs. Officers discovered a blood-stained foot pedal from a wheelchair on the floor of the room, which is believed to be the murder weapon.

Kravtsov's family described her as a Holocaust survivor, expressing their grief over her tragic death. Randy Zelin, an attorney for the family, stated, "Family is grieving in every sense of the word. It is my responsibility that justice is served for a woman that survived the Holocaust but could not survive a nursing home."

Smirnova was arraigned on Wednesday and is being held at Rikers Island without bail. She did not enter a plea during her court appearance. The Brooklyn District Attorney's office has requested a mental health evaluation for Smirnova, but her lawyer opposed the request. The judge did not order the evaluation.

The case has raised concerns about the safety and conditions at the Seagate Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, which has faced over 100 complaints since 2021 and is currently involved in a class action lawsuit regarding unsafe staffing levels. Smirnova is scheduled to return to court on Friday.