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Smyrna Woman Indicted for Her Children's Heat-Stroke Deaths

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) — The mother of two young children who died after being left inside a hot car in Smyrna has been indicted on charges of murder.

The Daily New Journal reports the Rutherford County Grand jury has charged Samantha Harper with two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated child neglect for the Aug. 2 deaths of her children.

Harper is accused of putting 2-year-old Savannah Marise and 3-year-old Daniel Marise in her car in the driveway outside the family's home before walking back inside and falling asleep. Harper, who was 25-years-old at the time, says she found the children three hours later.

Temperatures in Smyrna reached 99 degree that day.

Harper's attorney says the deaths were a tragic accident.