Child welfare investigators looked into mother charged with murder

The Arizona Department of Child Safety said Wednesday it made a visit in January to the home of a young woman arrested this week in the deaths of her small son and daughter and found no visible signs of child abuse or neglect.

The agency said officials investigating a January, 5, 2018 neglect report determined Brittany Velasquez had a job and that the apartment where she then lived in the city of Mesa had everything needed for her children. The department provided her with free daycare.

Velasquez’ toddler and infant were found dead Monday in their car seats in a car outside the home of relatives in the mining town of Superior. Velasquez is being held on $2 million on suspicion of two charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of her son and daughter. Authorities have not disclosed a motive or said how the children died.

The police report from January cites an unidentified family member of Velasquez who claimed the woman left her children with relatives for days at a time. The report further states the relative told officers that Velasquez took her $3,500 fur coat, but it was later returned and the relative did not pursue criminal charges. The report states Velasquez would not be investigated for child neglect or abuse until the relative stated she was no longer willing to care for the children.

Autopsies were being conducted to determine causes of death of the 2-year-old boy and 10-month-old girl. The Pinal County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately disclose what evidence was found.