The Texas mom accused of killing her two younger youngsters — whose our bodies have been discovered inside a smoldering automobile — sobbed uncontrollably throughout her first courtroom look as her household revealed her deteriorating psychological well being over the past 12 months.
Marlene Vidal, 34, had tears streaming down her face as she appeared earlier than a Bexar County choose Friday, hours after she allegedly murdered her youngsters, Adrian Akeel, 5, and Aleeza Elena, 7, in San Antonio, based on video obtained by WOAI.
The youngsters have been found inside a charred white Hyundai SUV after police and firefighters responded to a automobile fireplace in a car parking zone behind a San Antonio warehouse, following a name from a canine walker at round 5 a.m., officers stated.
When officers arrived on the scene, they discovered Vidal close by. She recognized herself as the kids’s mom, and advised them “that she was the one which we might be searching for,” San Antonio Police Assistant Chief Jesse Salame stated.
Police stated Vidal had pushed greater than 200 miles from her hometown of Edinburg to San Antonio on Thursday — a roughly three-hour journey — earlier than the kids have been discovered useless the next morning.
It stays unclear whether or not the kids died earlier than the hearth or have been burned to demise. The medical expert has not launched their identities or reason for demise, although relations have recognized them because the victims.
Salame advised KSAT that investigators are nonetheless working to pin down a motive, however stated psychological well being points might have performed a task within the killings.
A Little one Protecting Companies spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the company had beforehand investigated Vidal earlier than the killings however declined to supply additional particulars, including {that a} youngster fatality report could be launched upon completion of the investigation.
The day earlier than Vidal traveled to San Antonio, Edinburg police have been referred to as to a Walmart after stories that the mom of two was performing erratically — and was noticed pushing a cart containing lighter fluid and a grill, her sister Argelia Vidal advised the San Antonio Specific-Information.
Argelia, 45, stated her sister’s psychological well being started to deteriorate practically a 12 months in the past following what gave the impression to be a psychotic episode.
She stated Vidal suffered a psychological breakdown whereas driving from Edinburg to San Antonio along with her youngsters in June 2025 and was pulled over by a state trooper after being noticed driving chaotically on the highway.
CPS then positioned the kids within the care of their aunt, Irlanda Vidal, for about six weeks.
Argelia stated that since that incident, the household had spent months making an attempt to get regulation enforcement and youngster welfare authorities to intervene.
“We reached out to each company we may, they usually all failed us,” Argelia advised the outlet. “Now my sister’s going to get the assistance that she wants, however the youngsters are useless.”
After greater than a month with their aunt, CPS decided Vidal may resume caring for her youngsters — a choice the household disputed.
“They requested us, ‘Has she threatened the children?’” Argelia recalled youngster welfare officers asking. “We’re like, ‘No, however we all know they’re at risk as a result of she’s out of it.’”
Vidal’s household stated her psychological state had been deteriorating over the previous week, along with her sister including she had lately shaved her head within the days earlier than the killings.
Telephone data reviewed by the San Antonio Specific-Information present Argelia referred to as authorities — together with San Antonio police, Edinburg police and CPS — not less than ten instances on Wednesday alone.
Vidal is being held on the Bexar County Grownup Detention Middle on two counts of capital homicide and one depend of arson on a $2.1 million bond — $1 million for every homicide cost and $100,000 for the arson.
If convicted, Vidal faces both life with out parole or the demise penalty underneath Texas regulation.
Her subsequent courtroom look has not been set.
