Marlene Vidal, 34, was charged after her two children were found dead in a burned car, police said. It remains unclear whether the children died before or after the car fire.
A Texas mother has been charged with capital murder after two children, ages 5 and 7, were found dead in a burned-out vehicle in San Antonio on Friday.WOAIMay 16, 2026, 11:37 a.m. EDT
A mother was arrested Friday after her two children were found dead in a burned-out car in San Antonio.
Marlene Vidal, 34, of Edinburg, Texas, was charged with capital murder after the bodies of her children — ages 5 and 7 — were discovered in a burning vehicle in a warehouse parking lot, according to police.
San Antonio Deputy Police Chief Jesus Salame said at a news conference that a passerby walking his dog called 911 Friday morning to report the vehicle on fire.
Salame said Vidal told the passerby that she had already contacted police, although it is unclear whether that was true.
After firefighters extinguished the fire, they discovered two children inside the vehicle, according to Salame.
It remains unclear whether the children died before or after the car fire. A local medical examiner is still investigating the cause of death.
Surveillance footage and statements Vidal made to police indicate she “was solely responsible for the deaths of these two children,” according to Salame.
Authorities have not established a motive, although Salame noted “there are indications that mental health issues may have played a role.”
“I know our community is going to be hurting right now,” he said. “Everyone is going to want to know why something like this happened, and unfortunately, why is sometimes the hardest question to answer.”