By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A mother who nearly killed her 19-month-old daughter by tossing her into the Hudson River is bipolar and now receiving treatment, her lawyer said Monday.
Devi Silvia, 33, an Indian citizen who moved to the U.S. to accommodate her husband's career, threw her daughter into the river and jumped in off of the West 70th Street pier because she was depressed and trying to spite her husband.
She was indicted on attempted murder charges and arraigned in Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday. Her eyes welled with tears during the proceedings.
Her husband, Amirtharig Prithiviraj, sat alone during the hearing, and also appeared to be holding back tears.
"This was a very unfortunate, traumatic and completely out-of-character incident," said Silvia's attorney, Seema Iyer.
Silvia's toddler and 6-year-old child are expected to return to India Wednesday to live with a relative, Iyer said.
Her baby almost drowned, and was floating in the freezing Hudson when she was rescued by FDNY and NYPD marine units.
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Lewis Stone would not rule on whether Silvia could be released on bail. He gave Silvia's attorney and prosecutors until Friday to resolve the bail issue as well as treatment options for the disturbed mother.
The judge said he believes Silvia's acts were "plausibly explainable by a chemical imbalance," and added that Rikers Island is "about the least appropriate situation there is" for the troubled woman.
Silvia has been incarcerated at the Elmhurst Hospital jail ward since the incident.
