Mother charged after two children found dead in burning car in San Antonio

A 34-year-old Edinburg woman was jailed on capital murder charges after two children were found dead in a burning car behind a West Side warehouse in San Antonio, a case investigators said was supported by surveillance video, physical evidence and statements made by the suspect.

San Antonio police said a passerby spotted the vehicle on fire and called 911 just before 5 a.m. Friday, May 15, in the 500 block of Richland Hills Drive, near Potranco Road. Officers found the children inside the burned vehicle. Police later identified the suspect as Marlene Vidal and said she was taken into custody as the investigation moved from the scene into a broader review of what happened before the fire.

Authorities said the children were believed to be about 5 and 7 years old. The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office will make the official identifications and determine the cause and manner of death. Vidal was being held on a $2.1 million bond, including $1 million for each of two capital murder counts and $100,000 for an arson charge.

Investigators said the evidence led them to conclude Vidal was solely responsible for the deaths. Police cited surveillance video, physical evidence at the scene and statements Vidal made as the basis for that conclusion. Arson investigators are still working to determine how the fire started. Police also said mental health issues may have played a role, but they have not identified a motive.

Child Protective Services confirmed it is investigating because the case happened in Bexar County. Police said Vidal has family connections in the San Antonio area. The case remains active as investigators, medical examiners and child welfare officials continue to sort out the timeline, the cause of the fire and the circumstances that left two young children dead in a burned vehicle.