Teen mother accused of killing her two children

by Staff writer

A 19-year-old Texas mother has been arrested for the deaths of her two young daughters, who police said were left in the car for roughly 15 hours.

Amanda Hawkins was charged with two counts of abandoning or endangering a child, officer W.R. Hierholzer said in a press release.

The young mother brought both of her daughters to Peterson Regional Medical Center in “grave condition” Wednesday, telling doctors they collapsed after smelling flowers during an outing at Flat Rock Park.

But police, in questioning Hawkins, soon learned the she had left 1-year-old Brynn Hawkins and 2-year-old Addyson in her SUV while she and an unidentified 16-year-old male spent the night with friends.

Both girls were transferred to University Hospital on Thursday, where they died around 5 p.m.

“This is by far the most horrific case of child endangerment that I have seen in the 37 years that I have been in law enforcement,” Hierholzer said.

The officer said investigators determined Brynn and Addyson had intentionally been left in the vehicle overnight starting around 9 p.m.

“One of them even told her they could hear the kids crying out in the car and told her to bring them in,” Hierholzer told KSAT.

“And she said, ‘No, they’re fine. They’ll cry themselves to sleep.’”

Hawkins returned to the SUV around noon and attempted to bathe her girls before deciding to take them to the hospital.

She did not immediately go for help because she was afraid of getting in trouble, according to the press release.

Miriam Davis — Hawkins’ friend since middle school — said she stopped spending time with the young mother about a month ago because she was worried about how the toddlers were being treated. She told the news station that she even considered calling Child Protective Services.

“I guess I just hesitated for so long,” she said. “I didn’t want her to be in the system, but I didn’t know they would die if I didn’t.”

Davis, also a young mother, remembered Hawkins’ daughters fondly.

“Addy was so helpful. She would like to get you things and bring ’em to you,” she said. “Brynn was just learning how to walk and she was toddling all over the place.”

Hawkins was arrested in San Antonio and was being held on $70,000 bail.

Her charges may be upgraded now that both girls have died.