A mother was arrested in Florida three months after her two young daughters allegedly drowned in Texas while high on cocaine, according to authorities.
The case began on February 11, when deputies from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a home in Katy, Texas, after receiving allegations of two children drowning. The victims, aged two and three, were later discovered to have cocaine in their systems.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths have sparked concerns about how the children were introduced to the medication and what role their mother, Laura Nicholson, 23, may have had, according to investigators.
Nicholson was charged with two counts of child injury in the deaths on May 8 before being detained Monday in Fort Myers, Florida.
Under Texas law, injury to a child can include acts or omissions that cause substantial bodily harm or put a kid in immediate danger, though officials have not publicly disclosed the precise activities that resulted in the accusations in this case.
Authorities have not said when toxicology results revealed the presence of cocaine or what specific evidence led to charges being filed nearly three months after the incident.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office stated that its Violent Criminals Apprehension Team worked with the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force to identify Nicholson in Florida.
Nicholson was arrested Monday afternoon in Fort Myers, according to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
Members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, who are also deputized as members of the U.S. Marshals Task Force, apprehended Nicholson at a local mental health treatment facility around midday and arrested her without incident.
She was sent to the Lee County Jail.
“This arrest highlights the strong partnership the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has with the U.S. Marshals Service and law enforcement agencies across the country, working together to locate and apprehend wanted fugitives,” Marceno said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of two young toddlers — sisters — in our community,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, wrote on X, announcing Nicholson’s arrest. “May these little ones rest in peace.”
Authorities have not revealed how the toddlers were introduced to cocaine or if they suspect the substance was ingested accidentally or due to carelessness.
It’s still unknown whether anyone else could face charges in the case or when Nicholson will be extradited to Texas to face them.
It was not immediately known if Nicholson had hired an attorney.
Investigators have not disclosed any information concerning the drowning deaths, and the case is still being investigated.
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