A San Antonio mom has been arrested after her two children died in a hot car while she was taking a nap, police have said.
Tiona Lasaisha Islar, 28, was arrested after the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) found “inconsistencies” in the story that she gave to authorities, Sheriff Javier Salazar told the media in the aftermath of the incident.
Sheriff Salazar stated that authorities were called to an address in the Alamo Ranch section of the city at 3:25 p.m. this past Saturday.
According to authorities, Islar claimed that she fell asleep at 10 am and went looking for her children when she woke up.
The mom alleged that she found her kids, a six-year-old Sevani Stevenson, who was autistic, and a three-year-old Miyani Islar, inside her car.
The sheriff added that the two were “at some point brought into the home” before deputies arrived at the scene. Upon arrival, a deputy attempted CPR on the children. However, when paramedics arrived at the home, the children were pronounced dead.
Islar was subsequently arrested on charges of injury to a child, single bodily injury death.
A neighbour said that the deaths have left her “sick to her stomach”.
“I just hope that the babies are at peace,” she told local station KEN5.
Speaking to reporters before Islar’s arrest, Sheriff Salazar revealed that there were “some inconsistencies” in the evidence that she had given to authorities.
“There just are some inconsistencies with the story that we’re being given. At present, I’m not confident enough to give you all that, that’s definitely what happened.
“So, at this point, we’ve taken the mother of the two children downtown. She is being questioned at present.
“She is being mostly cooperative with us at this point so what we’re hoping for is that, in talking to her, it may be able to shed some more light on the situation. But, as I mentioned, with the inconsistencies that I’m seeing in the story and in some of the evidence we’re just not prepared to say that that’s exactly what happened,” the sheriff said.
The sheriff’s office has not gone into detail about the nature of the inconsistencies.
However, authorities have confirmed that there were “early indicators” that calls had been made to Child Protection Services (CPS) in the past, regarding the children’s welfare.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is appealing to residents for more information about the case. A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office has called for anyone with information to call 210-335-6000 or email BCSOTIPS@bexar.org.
The Independent has contacted the sheriff’s office for further comment.
