Editor’s note: This article contains graphic details that may be considered disturbing.
San Antonio police has charged a 34-year-old Edinburg woman with capital murder after two children were found dead inside a burned vehicle early Friday morning on the city’s far West Side.
Assistant Chief Jesse Salame said officers and firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle fire behind a warehouse in the 500 block of Richland Hills Drive between 5 and 6 a.m. Friday. After extinguishing the fire, first responders discovered the bodies of two children inside the vehicle.
Investigators believe the children were about 5 and 7 years old, though the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will make the official identification. Police identified the suspect on the scene as Marlene Vidal, 34, who told investigators she was the children’s mother.
“At this stage of the investigation, we have statements made by the suspect, along with surveillance video and evidence from the scene that indicate she was solely responsible for the death of these two children,” Salame said during a Friday morning briefing with the media.
Vidal has been charged with capital murder and was transported to jail for booking. Capital murder in Texas, upon conviction, carries a mandatory penalty of life without parole or the death penalty.
Officials say she is believed to have family in San Antonio. Officials are in the process of contacting and interviewing family members related to the case to determine the validity of the information Vidal provided.
“We don’t yet have a clear motive. However, there are indications that mental health issues may have played a role,” Salame said. “That is something investigators are working hard to better understand.”
Police have not yet released details about how the fire started or how long the vehicle had been at the location, which is near State Highway 151 and Loop 410.
“What I can tell you is that there has been an arrest, and now the focus will shift on the extensive investigative work that is needed to ensure that we provide the strongest possible case to the district attorney’s office,” he said.
Addressing the community, Salame says he is committed to seek justice for the children as they work to confirm their identity.
“I know our community is going to be hurting right now. Everyone’s going to want to know why something like this happened. And unfortunately, the why sometimes is the hardest question to answer,” he said. “So what I’ll commit to you now is that we’re going to continue working to find the truth, seek justice for these children, and support everyone affected by this tragedy.”
This is a developing story, updates will be provided as they become available.
