20-Year-Old Mother Faces Murder Charges After Children Found Dead in Car

Authorities said they found evidence of foul play.

Superior, Arizona
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The Togo National Forest in the area just outside of Superior is threatened by a sale to a private, foreign based mining company on December 24, 2017 in Superior, Arizona. Although the are known as Oak Flats has deep cultural significance to the Apache, the sale was attached as a last minute amendment to a Congressional defense spending bill in 2014.

Superior, Arizona

An Arizona mother has been arrested after her two young children were found dead in a vehicle Monday night.

According to the Associated Press, the lifeless bodies of a 2-year-old boy and 10-month-old girl were discovered strapped into their car seats in Superior, a mining town located about 60 miles east of Phoenix. After authorities discovered evidence of foul play, they took the children’s mother, 20-year-old Brittany Velasquez, on suspicion of two counts of murder. Investigators for the Pinal County Sheriff's Office did not reveal what kind of evidence they found. The names of the children and their causes of death have also not been revealed.

Baby, Toddler Found Dead In Car Seats In Rural Arizona Town, Mother,Brittany Velasquez, Arrested https://t.co/n12mCXhlKn pic.twitter.com/ZJEXtqMYBD

— O. G. Jackson (@BossHogg6) March 27, 2018

AP reports authorities were called to the crime scene at Velasquez’s family home late Monday night. Several of the children’s relatives were inside the residence when police arrived.

As pointed out by Heavy, Velasquez was cited for permitting an unauthorized minor to drive a vehicle in September of 2017. Velasquez eventually pleaded guilty to the charge and was given a fine. Earlier this year, she received another traffic citation for driving in excess of a reasonable and prudent speed. The latter case is reportedly still open.

Family members provided this photo taken recently of 2 year old Christopher and 10 mo old Brooklyn. Their mother was arrested for their murders. Family tells us, Brittany Velasquez was mentally ill and often neglected the babies... #Fox10Phoenix pic.twitter.com/zwgakE8itm

— Nicole Garcia Fox10 (@Fox10_NicoleG) March 27, 2018

According to Heavy, Velasquez’s husband of two years, Christopher Miranda, died June 16, 2017.

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