Police: Tennessee Mom Slept as Kids Died in Hot Car

Authorities say a Tennessee woman was inside her home sleeping while her two children were dying from heat exposure in her car, according to a report from HLNtv.com.

Police were called to the Smyrna home of 25-year-old Samantha Harper on Thursday afternoon. Responding officers found Harper’s 3-year-old son Daniel and 2-year-old daughter Savanna dead in the driveway next to a vehicle, according to a Smyrna Police Department press release.

Court documents allege that Harper “stated she put the child[ren] inside the car and went back inside the home” where she “fell asleep.” According to arrest affidavits, Daniel and Savanna died from heat exposure.

A detective handling the case could not be reached for comment Monday, but Sergeant Bobby Gibson reportedly told the Tennessean that investigators believe the two children were left alone in the car for at least an hour. The Weather Channel reported outdoor temperatures in the Smyrna area reached into the high 90s that day. Click here to read the full story from HLNtv.com.