Foster mom charged with murder of twins who died in hot car

HINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia foster mom has been charged with the murder of 3-year-old twins found dead in a hot car.

News outlets report Claudette Foster also is charged with child cruelty. Hinesville police say Payton and Raelynn Keyes were reported missing late last month and were found dead hours later in the car in Hinesville.

A police statement says autopsies determined the children had died from accidental heatstroke. It says Foster surrendered to police last week and was booked into the Liberty County Jail.

WSAV-TV reports Foster has been denied bond. Detective Bryan Wolfe told the station the children lacked supervision. The girls’ biological mother told the station she had reported Foster to the state days earlier for mistreating her daughters, saying they had been slapped and punched.