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Prosecutors weigh death penalty for Edinburg mother accused of killing her children

Prosecutors weigh death penalty for Edinburg mother accused of killing her children
53 minutes 12 seconds ago Wednesday, September 02 2026 Sep 2, 2026 September 02, 2026 5:59 PM September 02, 2026 in News - Local
Source: KRGV

An Edinburg mother accused of killing her two children and burning their bodies in a vehicle in San Antonio made her first court appearance on Wednesday.

Marlene Vidal, 34, appeared in front of a Bexar County judge nearly a month after she was indicted on two counts of capital murder of a person under 10 years of age, one count of capital murder of multiple persons, two counts of injury to a child, one charge of arson, and one count of tampering with physical evidence.

READ ABOUT HER INDICTMENT HERE

According to KSAT-TV, the San Antonio-based ABC News affiliate, prosecutors said they haven’t decided if they are seeking the death penalty for Vidal.

The state and Vidal’s defense team said they are continuing to gather evidence to build their respective cases, KSAT-TV added.

Vidal was arrested on May 15 in connection with the deaths of her two children. The children were found dead inside a burning vehicle in the 500 block of Richland Hills Drive in San Antonio between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

KSAT-TV said the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the children as Aleeza Elena Vidal, 6, and Adrian Akeel Vidal, 5. Vidal’s indictment states they were both cut and stabbed with.

Vidal was at the scene when police arrived, San Antonio Assistant Police Chief Jesus Salame Jr. said in a press conference.

Statements from Vidal, surveillance video, and evidence gathered at the scene indicated Vidal is solely responsible for the deaths of the children, according to Salame.

Bexar County court records show her next court date is set for Nov. 12. She’s currently jailed on a $1 million bond.

RELATED COVERAGE: Edinburg mother in custody after children found dead in burning vehicle in San Antonio

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