Charges have been added against one of two Arkansans held in the deaths of two young children who drowned after the truck they were left alone in rolled into a pond.
Jonathan Daniel Welborn, 30, now faces two counts of negligent homicide in the deaths of a 2-year-old girl and a 6-month-old boy, records show.
Welborn and Brittany Nichole Hairston, 26, also face counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.
Bail has been set at $100,000 and $25,000, respectively, according to the Saline County jail.
The Saline County sheriff’s office said deputies were called to the scene Wednesday night to 16956 Arkansas 298, about 3 miles from where Welborn and Hairston said they live, near Benton.
A truck was found in a pond submerged in water near their home. The children — Sofia Welborn and Zane Welborn — were discovered still strapped in their car seats after being left alone for about 30 minutes, authorities said.
Neither was breathing, and neither had a pulse, a report states. They were taken to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, where they were later pronounced dead.
Jonathan Welborn and Hairston were reportedly playing pool inside the house as the truck rolled across the highway and into the pond.
Both remained jailed as of Friday afternoon, according to an online inmate roster.
