Texas Mom Charged In Hot Car Death Of 2 Kids Reportedly Locked In Car On Purpose

WEATHERFORD, TX — A Texas woman whose two children died after they were left in a hot car in late May has been arrested in connection with the deaths, according to multiple reports.

At the time, Parker County Sheriff's officials said that the mother, identified as 24-year-old Cynthia Marie Randolph, told authorities that her kids "took off" and locked themselves inside the car. Randolph told authorities that she searched the area for the kids before finding them inside the car.

The children were unresponsive inside the car and were pronounced dead around 4:30 p.m. At the time, temperatures reached around 96 degrees. Randolph also told authorities she broke one of the car windows to get the children out.

One of the children, a two-year-old girl, had just celebrated her second birthday in late February. Her brother was 16 months old.

At the time, officials said the investigation was in its early stages and it was unclear whether any charges would be brought.

Jail records show Randolph was booked on Friday. She has been charged with two felony counts of injury to a child.

The Dallas Morning News reports that in subsequent interviews with the authorities, Randolph "created several variations" of the events that led to the death of her children. She ultimately implicated herself in the deaths, telling authorities that she ordered the kids out of the car when she found them playing inside and when the daughter refused to come out, she locked the two inside to teach her daughter a "lesson."

Randolph then went into the home, reportedly smoked marijuana and slept for about two to three hours before coming back to the car.

She was given a $100,000 surety bond on both counts.

Image via Parker County Jail