Texas Woman Who Left Daughters In SUV To Die Pleads Guilty

KERRVILLE, TX — A 20-year-old Texas woman has pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the deaths of her two toddlers in June 2017. Amanda Kristene Hawkins pleaded guilty Monday in Kerrville, a town in central Texas, to two counts of abandoning a child, causing imminent danger of death, bodily injury or physical or mental impairment; and two counts of injury to a child, recklessly causing serious bodily injury or serious mental deficiency, the Daily Times reported. Hawkins faces up to 20 years in prison for each count. Hawkins will be sentenced Dec. 12.

Law enforcement officials believe that Hawkins left 1-year-old Brynn Hawkins and 2-year-old Addyson Overgard-Eddy crying in her SUV overnight while she hung out with friends. The children were left for 15 hours, the Dallas Morning News reported. The temperature in Kerrville was in the 80s while the girls were in the SUV.

When asked by law enforcement why Hawkins did not bring the crying children inside, she said, "No, they'll cry themselves to sleep," the Morning News added.

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Photo via Kerr County Sheriff's Office