Mother In Mesa County Children Deaths Case Arrested In Florida
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- The mother of two children who died after being left alone in an SUV for 90 minutes in Mesa County in November has been arrested in Florida.
Heather Jensen was arrested in North Fort Myers, Fla. on a warrant out of Mesa County. The warrant issued includes charges for two counts of child abuse resulting in death, two counts of criminally negligent homicide and one count of false reporting to authorities.
Jensen told police her last name was Holesapple and she was booked under that name, but authorities know she is the same person as Heather Jensen.
The Mesa County coroner ruled that Jensen's two children, Tyler, 4, and William, 2, died from hyperthermia (not hypothermia) and that the deaths were accidental.
Jensen, of Palisade, called 911 on Nov. 27 after she allegedly admitted to police that she left the boys alone in the vehicle just off Highway 65 near Powderhorn Ski Area for 90 minutes while she met a man in his truck.
Tyler was airlifted to The Children's Hospital in Aurora and William died at the scene. Tyler died one week after his brother.
CBS4 legal analyst Karen Steinhauser said just because the deaths of the boys was described as an accident by the coroner, that doesn't mean charges won't be filed.
"If the district attorney believes there is sufficient evidence she allowed those children to be placed in that situation then the DA can charge her with felonies," Steinhauser said.
Jensen was arrested without incident after leaving a family member's home. The warrant has a bond of $150,000. If Jensen is unable to make bond she may waive extradition or begin the process of returning to Mesa County through the court system.
