Texas Mom Arrested for Child Endangerment After Siblings’ Deaths: Sheriff Questions Hot Car Story Inconsistencies

SAN ANTONIO, TX – A heartbreaking case of two young siblings’ deaths has taken a darker turn, with their 28-year-old mother, Tiona Islar, arrested on charges of serious injury to a child resulting in death. Islar claimed her 3-year-old son Mani and 6-year-old daughter Savani Stevenson—Savani, who had autism—died after being left in a hot car outside their Bexar County home. However, investigators, led by Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, have publicly flagged major inconsistencies in her account, raising suspicions about what truly happened on that sweltering Saturday afternoon.

The incident unfolded last weekend amid temperatures in the low 90s, a common hazard in Texas summers that has led to numerous hot car tragedies nationwide. Deputies responded to Islar’s residence around 3:30 p.m. on a welfare check call, where they discovered the children unresponsive inside the home. Despite attempts at CPR by first responders, both Savani and Mani were pronounced dead at the scene. The medical examiner’s office is still determining the exact causes of death, but the sheriff’s office has launched a full investigation into the circumstances.

Mother’s Account Raises Red Flags

According to Islar’s initial statement to authorities, she fell asleep around 10 a.m. while home alone with her children. She awoke five hours later, around 3 p.m., unable to locate them. Panicking, she reportedly found the siblings in her parked car outside, brought their limp bodies inside the house, and waited about 20 minutes before dialing 911. “The initial report was for the children being left in the car,” Sheriff Salazar said during a press conference shortly after the discovery. “However, I can tell you… there just are some inconsistencies with the story that we’re being given.”

Salazar was notably cautious in his public remarks, avoiding specifics to protect the ongoing probe but emphasizing that the narrative “doesn’t add up.” He noted the family had only lived in Texas for about 14 months, having previously resided in South Carolina, and was already known to Child Protective Services (CPS). “There are some early indicators that there had been some issues with regard to this family involving possibly the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and possibly calls to CPS,” the sheriff revealed, urging anyone with information or video footage from between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to come forward anonymously via the sheriff’s tip line (210-335-6000) or email ([email protected]).

Hours after the press conference, Islar was taken into custody and booked on two felony counts of injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury or death—one for each child. She is being held at the Bexar County Jail on a combined $300,000 bond ($150,000 per count). The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services confirmed prior contact with the family but declined to elaborate, citing privacy laws.

A GoFundMe campaign titled “Support Savani and Mani’s Final Journey” has since launched, raising funds to transport the children’s bodies back to South Carolina for burial. Family members have shared memorial posts on social media, describing the siblings as “full of life” and expressing profound grief.

Experts Highlight Gaps in the Timeline and Evidence Needed

The case has drawn scrutiny from legal experts and former law enforcement, who point to several puzzling elements in Islar’s story. Retired NYPD Detective David Sarnowsky, speaking on Law & Crime’s “On the Case,” emphasized the critical five-hour window and the need for corroborating evidence. “You’re basing [it] on the mother’s word that she fell asleep at 10:00, wakes up at 3:00, finds them in the car, then takes them out… and it’s too late,” Sarnowsky said. He questioned basic logistics: Was the car unlocked? Could the children, aged 3 and 6, access and lock it themselves? Why bring the unresponsive children inside instead of calling 911 immediately from the scene?

Sarnowsky also flagged the 20-minute delay before the emergency call as suspicious. “If your two kids are unconscious in the car and you pull them out unresponsive… you’ll be calling 911 immediately,” he noted. Investigators would likely examine the vehicle’s features—such as automatic locking mechanisms common in newer models—the home’s condition (e.g., signs of neglect like an empty fridge), and neighborhood surveillance, including Ring doorbells in the modern condo community where the family lived.

Prior CPS involvement adds another layer, though it doesn’t necessarily imply criminality. “It could be improper care [or] slight neglect,” Sarnowsky explained, but it prompts deeper scrutiny into the family’s history, including any follow-up from caseworkers. Hot car deaths often stem from accidental forgetfulness, but Sarnowsky warned that intentional acts—like punishment—can’t be ruled out without autopsy results and forensic analysis. “These are two kids that died in your care. Something you did was problematic,” he said.

In similar cases, parents have faced charges ranging from manslaughter to murder if negligence or intent is proven. A Bronx case Sarnowsky referenced involved a father who forgot his children in a car; he was initially arrested but ultimately not held liable after investigation. Here, with two children and inconsistencies, prosecutors may pursue harsher charges pending the medical examiner’s report on cause and manner of death (e.g., heat exhaustion vs. something else).

Broader Context of Hot Car Tragedies and Child Welfare

This tragedy underscores the dangers of hot cars, where interior temperatures can soar to lethal levels within minutes. Advocacy groups like Kids and Car Safety report hundreds of child deaths annually from such incidents, often due to oversight. However, the sheriff’s doubts shift focus to potential foul play or severe neglect, especially given the CPS history.

Islar, who has not yet entered a plea, remains in custody as the investigation continues. Authorities are combing through records, witness statements, and physical evidence from the home and vehicle. “We’re hoping that in talking to her, it may be able to shed some more light,” Salazar said, noting her initial cooperation.

The community mourns Savani and Mani, whose smiling photo together has circulated widely, breaking hearts across social media. As the probe deepens, questions linger: Was this a tragic accident, or something more sinister? The answers could reshape the narrative from negligence to something far graver.