Deaths of 2 Texas toddlers left in hot car ruled homicides

WEATHERFORD, Texas – Autopsies show two North Texas toddlers died of heatstroke after investigators say their mother allegedly left them in her hot car for several hours to teach them a lesson.

A medical examiner determined the deaths of 2-year-old Juliet Ramirez and 1-year-old Cavanaugh Ramirez of Weatherford were homicides.

Parker County records show the mother, Cynthia Randolph, was arrested in June on injury to a child counts and remains jailed. Investigators didn’t immediately return a message Sunday on possible upgraded charges.

Officials say Randolph originally said her children locked themselves in her car. Temperatures were in the 90s.

An arrest affidavit says Randolph later said her daughter refused to get out of the car so she locked both toddlers inside to teach them a lesson — thinking they’d exit on their own.