Two children, Juliet Ramirez, two, and one-year-old Cavanaugh Ramirez, died after their mother, 25-year-old Cynthia Randolph allegedly left them in a
hot car for several hours to teach them a lesson.
hot car for several hours to teach them a lesson.
The incident occurred in Texas on May 26. Post-mortem examinations showed that the two children died from heat stroke, as temperatures reached 35°C that day.
According to 7News, a medical examiner ruled that the deaths of the children were homicides.
Officials said that Randolph originally claimed her children had locked themselves in her car.
Randolph said later that Juliet refused to get out of the car so she locked both of the young children inside to teach them a lesson, thinking they would get out on their own, according to her arrest records.
Randolph was arrested in June on injury to a child charges and remains in jail, Parker County records showed.
It was reported that Randolph went off and smoked marijuana while the children were locked in the car.
She also took a nap for two to three hours, according to police.
In an interview with police, Randolph said she believed the children would eventually get out the car when they were ready.
When she returned to the vehicle the children were unresponsive.
Randolph called the emergency services and smashed one of the car’s windows.
She was charged with two counts of first-degree injury to a child causing serious bodily injury on June 23.
It is unclear if the charges will be upgraded following the coroner’s verdict of homicide.