The ruling came in the Sept. 3 death of Darrell Singleton III.

Medical examiner investigators stated that Darrell's death resulted from him being "left unattended in a motor vehicle during warm weather." His body temperature was 107 degree when he arrived at the hospital on a day that reached 96 degrees.

The boy's mother, Keashia Dyon Matthews, was arrested last week on a charge of injury to a child. She was released over the weekend after posting $13,000 bail, police said.

It will be up to the Tarrant County District Attorney's office to determine if charges will be upgraded for Matthews, said Tiara Ellis Richard, Arlington police spokesman.

Chris Van Deusen, a Department of Family and Protective Services spokesman, said Monday that Matthews' two daughters, ages 5 and 6, remain in foster care and will likely stay there until the next hearing on Oct. 28 in the 323rd District Court.

Van Deusen said he didn’t know if any relatives have expressed interest in taking custody of the children. But any relatives would be subject to a home study before the girls could be placed with them.

Police have said they believe Matthews left the toddler in her SUV while she worked an eight-hour shift at the Daystar Television Network studios in Bedford.

His temperature had reached 107 degrees by the time he was taken to Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital that afternoon.

In an interview with television station WFAA/Channel 8, Matthews said that she had not intended to leave her son in the SUV for so long. She told the station that someone was supposed to come pick him up, but never arrived.

The Star-Telegram has been unable to reach Matthews.

Matthews was investigated by child welfare workers twice in Texas and at least once in Michigan before her son died, Van Deusen said Friday.

Child welfare officials in Texas began an investigation in May after being told that Matthews left her three children at home without supervision.

But Matthews was allowed to keep her children after she agreed to make sure that they would be cared for while she was at work.

"That situation was resolved after she agreed to get all three of her children in day care," Van Deusen said.

CPS learned of the neglect complaint after one of the children told authorities that their mother left them home alone while she went to work.

Matthews also came to the attention of Texas CPS workers years earlier, after a report of neglect and physical abuse in 2003, Van Deusen said.

CPS found neglect and took custody, but the courts ordered that custody be restored in September 2003, Van Deusen said.

Texas CPS officials were notified in 2003 about a previous investigation in Michigan that resulted in the removal of Matthews’ older daughter and her placement with her grandmother, Van Deusen said.

Michigan officials did not immediately respond to questions about details of that case.

Van Deusen could not retrieve records on any follow-up with Matthews and Texas CPS officials.

"We’re looking back at that to see if there was something that could have been done, that should have been done differently," Van Deusen said.

Darrell was one of at least 31 children nationwide who have died this year after being left inside a hot car, according to research by San Francisco State University.

Staff writers Mitch Mitchell and Bill Hanna contributed to this report.

http://www.star-telegram.com/crime_courts/story/1663334.html

Emphasis added by H4K Editor