A San Antonio mother faces serious charges after authorities discovered disturbing inconsistencies in her story about how two young children died in a hot car, raising grave concerns about parental accountability and child protection failures.
Story Summary
- Tiona Lasaisha Islar, 28, arrested after her children ages 6 and 3 found dead in hot car
- Sheriff cites “inconsistencies” in mother’s account of events leading to deaths
- Family had prior Child Protective Services involvement indicating warning signs
- Case marks ninth and tenth hot car deaths in Texas this year alone
Mother’s Story Raises Red Flags
Tiona Lasaisha Islar told investigators she last saw her children, Sevani Stevenson and Miyani Islar, inside their San Antonio home. She claimed she fell asleep and discovered them in her car around 3 p.m., then brought them inside and attempted CPR. However, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar identified significant inconsistencies in her narrative that prompted criminal charges rather than treating this as a tragic accident.
The timeline presents troubling gaps that investigators cannot reconcile with Islar’s version of events. Deputies arrived at 3:25 p.m. to find both children deceased despite the mother’s reported resuscitation efforts. The five-hour window between when Islar claims she last saw the children alive and discovered them in the vehicle has become central to the investigation.
Warning Signs Were Already Present
Child Protective Services had previous involvement with the Islar family, indicating that concerns about child welfare existed before this tragedy occurred. This prior contact suggests that warning signs may have been present but insufficient action was taken to protect these vulnerable children. The failure of the system to prevent this outcome highlights how bureaucratic child protection agencies often fall short of their fundamental mission.
Islar now faces two counts of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury or death and remains in Bexar County jail on $300,000 bail. The charges reflect the serious nature of the allegations and the prosecutor’s belief that this was not simply a case of parental forgetfulness or accident.
Texas Leads Nation in Preventable Child Deaths
This incident represents the ninth and tenth hot car deaths in Texas during 2025, contributing to a nationwide total of 29 such fatalities. Texas consistently ranks among the worst states for these preventable tragedies, yet effective solutions remain elusive. The recurring nature of these deaths in the Lone Star State demands accountability from both parents and the agencies tasked with protecting children.
The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office continues working to determine the official cause and manner of death while investigators seek additional evidence from the public. This case underscores the critical importance of parental responsibility and the devastating consequences when adults fail to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. Parents have a fundamental duty to safeguard their children, and when that sacred trust is broken, justice must follow.
Sources:
Mother Questioned After Boy 6, Girl 3, Die In Hot Car
Mother Questioned After Boy 6, Girl 3, Die In Hot Car
Alamo Ranch Hot Car Death Investigation
Children Who Died After Allegedly Being Left in Car by Mother Identified, Mother Arrested
West Side San Antonio Death Investigation
