A Texas mother cried uncontrollably in court as she was hit with two capital murder charges after her young children were found dead inside a burning car.
Marlene Vidal, 34, was racked with sobs as she stood in front of a judge on Friday just hours after she was taken into custody over the deaths of her children, Adrian Akeel and Aleeza Elena, according to court records reviewed by the Daily Mail.
Adrian, five, and Aleeza, six, were identified by family after the bodies of two children were found inside a charred white Hyundai SUV on a San Antonio road early Friday morning.
A witness saw the burning vehicle while walking their dog and called 911. When firefighters put out the flames, they found the children's bodies inside, according to authorities.
It remains unclear if the brother and sister died before the car was set ablaze or if they burned to death. Their identity and cause of death have not yet been released by the medical examiner.
Officers with the San Antonio Police Department found Vidal when they arrived at the scene and she identified herself as the victims' mother.
Police said that Vidal had driven about three hours from her hometown of Edinburg to San Antonio on Thursday, although it is unclear why, WOAI reported.
The day before, police in Edinburg were called to Walmart over reports that Vidal was acting erratically at the store. She was spotted with lighter fluid and a grill in her shopping cart, according to her sister, Argelia Vidal.
Marlene Vidal, 34, sobbed uncontrollably while standing before a judge on Friday as she was charged with capital murder of her two young children
Adrian, five, and Aleeza, six, were identified by relatives as the two victims found inside the charred white Hyundai SUV on a San Antonio road early Friday morning
Argelia told San Antonio Express-News that concerned customers called the police, but the agency told the outlet they had no legal reason to arrest her after she told them she didn't need help.
According to her sister, Vidal started to suffer severe mental health issues about a year ago after enduring what appeared to be a psychotic episode.
Her family also tried to get law enforcement and child welfare officials to help both her and her children but nothing ever came of it, Argelia, 45, claimed.
'We reached out to every agency we could and they all failed us,' she said, adding that her sister 'was so bad' that she had just recently shaved her head.
Argelia continued: 'Now my sister’s going to get the help that she needs. But the children are dead.'
She said her sister suffered some sort of mental breakdown while driving from Edinburg to San Antonio with her children in June 2025.
Vidal was pulled over by a state trooper after she was reportedly driving chaotically on the road, her sister said.
Afterward, Child Protective Services (CPS) placed Adrian and Aleeza in the care of their mother's other sister, Irlanda Vidal, for a little over a month, Argelia added.
A witness saw the burning vehicle while walking their dog and called 911. When firefighters put out the flames, they found the children's bodies inside, according to authorities
Vidal is being held on a $2.1 million bond for two counts of capital murder of a child younger than 10 and one arson charge, according to court records
Concerned relatives informed authorities that Vidal was not doing well and needed proper treatment, but CPS determined she was fit to care for her children again, Argelia said.
'They asked us, "Has she threatened the kids?",' Argelia said officials asked the family.
'We’re like, "No, but we know they’re in danger because she’s out of it."'
On Wednesday alone, Argelia said she called the authorities, including the San Antonio Police Department, Edinburg Police Department, and CPS, at least ten times, according to phone records reviewed by the Express-News.
Adrian and Aleeza have been remembered as 'amazing kids' with big dreams.
Adrian, who was autistic, 'was always full of life and ready to take on whatever came his way,' according to a GoFundMe page.
His older sister Aleeza wanted to be a doctor one day and 'believed she was a little angel,' the fundraiser stated.
The family has asked the public to help financially support them so they can pay for the siblings' funerals and burial services.
Aleeza wanted to be a doctor one day and 'believed she was a little angel,' the fundraiser stated
Adrian, who was autistic, 'was always full of life and ready to take on whatever came his way,' according to a GoFundMe page
Vidal is being held on a $2.1 million bond for two counts of capital murder of a child younger than ten and one arson charge, according to court records.
Her bond has been set at $1 million for each murder charge and $100,000 for the other, records showed.
The Daily Mail contacted the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office, the San Antonio Police Department, the Edinburg Police Department, and CPS for comment.