Two Toddlers Left In Hot Car Overnight Die In Texas, Mother, Amanda Hawkins, Charged

Two toddlers died after their mother allegedly left them in a car overnight, intentionally. Amanda Hawkins was arrested in Texas after her two daughters died following a night of being strapped to their car seats. A report by Good Morning America relayed the tragic news out of Texas, as the 19-year-old mother is accused of opting to hang out with friends while her daughters were suffering out in the car. Details about the “party” haven’t been revealed to the public just yet.

The children have been identified as 1-year-old Brynn Hawkins and 2-year-old Addyson Overgard-Eddy. Amanda Hawkins reportedly lied to investigators when she first spoke to them, telling a story about how her daughters had been out at Flat Rock Lake and had simply collapsed after smelling flowers. It was later determined that Hawkins wasn’t telling the truth and that the details of the case were quite gruesome. The initial false report could be held against her if the state decides to upgrade any charges brought against Hawkins.

The two little girls were left inside a car for more than 15 hours while their mother and her friends had fun in the house. Authorities have already determined that Hawkins intentionally left the girls in the car and that she knowingly allowed them to remain there overnight. The time period reportedly extended from Tuesday evening, June 6, all the way until about noon on Wednesday, June 7.

Cops: Mom who said toddlers “collapsed” left them in hot car; girls later died https://t.co/LkWiD3Pjfq pic.twitter.com/Xxkj9xNcsa

— 48 Hours (@48hours) June 10, 2017

Kerr County Sheriff Rusty Hierholzer stated that an attempt was made by Amanda Hawkins to bathe and clean up the girls before she took them to Peterson Regional Medical Center in Kerrville later on Wednesday. The girls were in very bad shape and passed away on Thursday, June 8. Hierholzer called this the most horrific case of child endangerment he has seen in 37 years on the job.

Elevated temperatures can make all vehicles very dangerous for children and pets. Temperatures in the area were in the 80s on Wednesday, suggesting that it was even hotter inside the car during those afternoon hours. The heat not only makes for an uncomfortable situation, but it also makes it very difficult to breathe in vehicles that aren’t air-conditioned or ventilated.

An updated report by the Associated Press states that Amanda Hawkins was arrested in San Antonio on Thursday and that she is being held on $70,000 bond. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office and the Kerrville Police Department are carrying out a joint investigation on this case. So far, Hawkins has been charged with two counts of abandoning or endangering a child. Each count comes with a bond set at $35,000, established when Hawkins was placed in Bexar County Jail. Those charges could be elevated as the investigation reveals more details.

When Hawkins showed up at the hospital with her daughter, she also had a 16-year-old male acquaintance with her. He has not yet been identified and that may remain the case because he is still considered to a be a minor. Opinions on this case have been quite negative on social media, where many people don’t understand how a mother could do this to her kids.

Mother charged in deaths of two toddlers after kids were left in hot car https://t.co/j1SVDRmkwG pic.twitter.com/h4OSbiCAZ3

— 12 News (@12News) June 10, 2017

A website was set up that tracks the number of child deaths that have been attributed to hot cars. The site seeks to provide valuable information to parents and show how dangerous it can be to leave a child unattended in a hot car. The site reports that since 1998, 711 heatstroke deaths of children have been attributed to being left in vehicles. All 711 deaths were preventable and Amanda Hawkins’ daughters are now counted as part of the alarmingly large statistic from just the United States alone.

[Featured Image by Kerrville Police Department]