It’s the kind of phone call or news alert that makes your stomach drop instantly. Even years later, the names Lulu and Leo Krim carry a heavy, somber weight in New York City and beyond. You’ve likely heard the broad strokes: a tragedy in an Upper West Side apartment, a trusted nanny, and a family shattered in a way most of us can’t even wrap our heads around.
But if you only know the 2012 headlines, you’re missing the most important part of the story.
The Krim family didn't just disappear into their grief. Honestly, what they did next is kind of a blueprint for how humans survive the unsurvivable. It’s a story about the "Choose Creativity" movement and a hard-fought battle for better child care laws that actually changed the game for parents everywhere.
What Really Happened on October 25, 2012?
Marina Krim was doing what any busy mom does. She was at a swimming lesson with her three-year-old daughter, Nessie. The plan was simple: meet the nanny, Yoselyn Ortega, and her other two children—six-year-old Lucia (Lulu) and two-year-old Leo—at a dance studio.
When they didn't show up, Marina headed home.
The apartment was dark. Quiet. Too quiet. When Marina walked into the bathroom, she found the unthinkable. Lulu and Leo had been stabbed to death in the bathtub. Ortega was there too, having just turned the knife on herself in a failed suicide attempt.
It was a random, senseless act of violence. Prosecutors later argued Ortega acted out of "jealous hatred," while the defense tried to claim she was in a state of psychosis. Regardless of the motive, the damage was total.
The Trial and the "Pure Evil" Verdict
The legal road was long. Like, six-years-long. It wasn't until 2018 that Yoselyn Ortega finally faced a jury.
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The defense went hard on the "not responsible by reason of mental disease" angle. They talked about voices in her head and a "snapped" mind. But the evidence painted a different picture—one of calculated movements and a deliberate wait for Marina to return home to see the aftermath.
In the end, the jury didn't buy the insanity plea.
Judge Gregory Carro didn't hold back during sentencing, either. He called Ortega "pure evil" and sentenced her to life in prison without any possibility of parole. Kevin Krim, the children's father, spoke in court about the "malignant narcissism" of the woman they had once welcomed into their home.
The Birth of the Lulu and Leo Fund
Most people would have stayed in bed forever. Or moved away and never spoken of it again. The Krims did the opposite.
Basically, they decided that Lulu and Leo wouldn't be remembered for how they died, but for how they lived. Both kids were incredibly creative. Marina, a former teacher, had always used art as a way to connect with them.
They started the Lulu & Leo Fund, which eventually evolved into a massive initiative called Choose Creativity.
It’s not just a "feel-good" charity. It’s a curriculum. They worked with experts from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to develop the 10 Principles of Creativity. We’re talking about things like:
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- Being Curious: Asking "why" even when things are tough.
- Being Resourceful: Making something from nothing.
- Being Patient: Understanding that healing—and art—takes time.
The goal? To help kids in underserved communities build "creative confidence." They’ve reached over 30,000 students so far. It’s a way of saying that while you can't control what happens to you, you can control how you respond to it.
Lulu & Leo’s Law: Changing the Nanny Industry
If you’ve ever hired a sitter or a nanny, you’ve probably used a site like Care.com or relied on a resume. The Krims realized, painfully, that the woman they hired had lied about her background and references.
They didn't just vent about it; they went to Albany.
In 2018, New York passed Lulu & Leo’s Law. It’s the first of its kind in the United States. It makes it a crime to "knowingly and materially" misrepresent qualifications when applying for a job as a child caregiver.
Before this law, lying on a nanny resume was shitty, but it wasn't necessarily a specific crime you could be prosecuted for. Now, there’s a legal deterrent. It’s a massive step toward professionalizing the industry and protecting families from people who shouldn't be near children.
A "New" Family and Moving Forward
People often ask what happened to the family. It’s a natural, if slightly voyeuristic, curiosity.
Marina and Kevin eventually had two more sons, Felix and Linus. Nessie, the sister who was there that day, is now a young woman. The family talks openly about the "new" memories they’ve had to build.
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Marina once wrote about seeing a piece of street art—a boy with a sign full of hearts—and feeling an instant connection to Leo. She describes it as a "new" relationship with her children. They aren't "gone" in the traditional sense; they are woven into the work the family does every single day.
Actionable Steps for Parents and Caregivers
While the Krim story is extreme, it highlights some very real gaps in how we handle child care and trauma. If you're looking to apply these lessons to your own life, here’s how to do it:
1. Radical Transparency in Hiring
Don't just call the references listed on a resume. Cross-reference them. Use social media to see if those "employers" actually exist. Lulu & Leo’s Law exists because people lie. Be your own private investigator.
2. Practice the 10 Principles
You don’t have to be an artist to "Choose Creativity." Use the principles (like being Intuitive or Inventive) to solve everyday problems with your kids. It builds the "resilience" that the Krims have demonstrated so powerfully.
3. Support Creative Education
If you want to honor the legacy of Lulu and Leo, look into the Choose Creativity curriculum for your local school district. It’s a bilingual, social-emotional learning tool that helps kids process emotions through action rather than just talk.
The story of Lulu and Leo Krim isn't a tragedy anymore. Well, it is, but it's more than that. It’s a case study in what happens when you take the worst possible situation and refuse to let it have the final word. By turning their grief into a legal shield for other parents and a creative outlet for thousands of kids, the Krims ensured that Lulu and Leo are still changing the world.
To learn more about the curriculum or to get involved, you can visit the official Choose Creativity website. There, you'll find resources for teachers and parents to help implement these principles in your own community.