A Texas mother accused of killing her two children broke down in tears during her first court appearance Friday, as relatives spoke about her worsening mental health in the months leading up to the tragedy.
Marlene Vidal, 34, appeared before a Bexar County judge just hours after police said her children — Adrian Akeel, 5, and Aleeza Elena, 7 — were found dead inside a burned white Hyundai SUV in San Antonio.
Police and firefighters were called to a warehouse parking lot around 5 a.m. after a dog walker reported a vehicle fire. Officials said the children’s bodies were discovered inside the charred SUV.
When officers arrived, Vidal was nearby. San Antonio Police Assistant Chief Jesse Salame said she identified herself as the children’s mother and told officers “that she was the one that we would be looking for.”
Investigators said Vidal had driven more than 200 miles from Edinburg to San Antonio on Thursday, before the children were found dead the next morning.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the children died before the fire or in it. The medical examiner has not released their identities or causes of death, though family members identified them publicly.
Salame told KSAT investigators are still trying to determine a motive, but said mental health issues may have played a role.
A Child Protective Services spokesperson confirmed the agency had investigated Vidal before the killings but gave no details.
The day before the trip to San Antonio, Edinburg police responded to a Walmart after reports Vidal was acting erratically, according to her sister, Argelia Vidal. She was allegedly seen pushing a cart with lighter fluid and a grill.
Argelia said her sister’s mental health had declined for nearly a year after what appeared to be a psychotic episode. She said the family repeatedly tried to get help from police and child welfare agencies.
“We reached out to every agency we could, and they all failed us,” Argelia said. “Now my sister’s going to get the help that she needs, but the children are dead.”
Vidal is being held on two capital murder charges and one arson charge on a $2.1 million bond.
