South Carolina Shocker: Disabled Girl Dies in Heat After Mother Locks Her In Hot Car While Having S*x With Boyfriend
A South Carolina court convicted a mother and her boyfriend for the 2019 death of her disabled 13-year-old daughter, who was left locked in a car for over five hours in extreme heat while the adults remained inside the house having sex, ignoring her safety.
New Delhi, December 24: A South Carolina court has delivered a guilty verdict in a deeply disturbing child abuse and murder case that has shocked the United States. A mother and her boyfriend have been convicted over the 2019 death of a 13-year-old disabled girl who was left locked inside a car for hours in extreme summer heat while they had sex inside the house.
The victim, Cristina Pangalangan, was wheelchair-bound and non-verbal, requiring constant care and supervision. Prosecutors told the court that Cristina was entirely dependent on her mother, Rita Pangalangan, for her daily needs and safety. US Shocker: Inmate Coerces 11-Year-Old Girl Into Performing Sexual Acts, Records Video Call Inside Jail in Pennsylvania.
Disturbing Details of the Neglect
According to court records, on a sweltering August day in 2019, Rita and her boyfriend, Larry King Jr., left the teenager strapped in her wheelchair inside a locked family vehicle parked outside their home. Instead of checking on the child, the couple loitered outside and later went indoors for more than five hours and 42 minutes. US Shocker: Teacher Has Sex With Middle School Student in Texas, Arrested.
Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the couple argued and then went inside the house, where they engaged in sex. At one point, Rita attempted to retrieve cigarettes from the locked car but was unable to access it. CCTV footage showed the pair searching unsuccessfully for a spare key, wandering around the yard, talking, hugging, and showing no urgency to rescue the child trapped inside the vehicle.
Chilling CCTV Footage and Delayed Rescue
When the couple eventually managed to unlock the car, they found Cristina unresponsive. Prosecutors said their reaction was marked by panic rather than immediate lifesaving action. Emergency assistance was delayed, a factor investigators said contributed to the tragic outcome.
Medical and forensic evidence established that temperatures inside the car exceeded 46 degrees Celsius (115 degrees Fahrenheit). South Carolina solicitor Duffie Stone told the court that the adults acted with “total disregard” for the life and safety of a vulnerable child, describing the neglect as extreme and fatal.
The defence argued that Cristina’s death was a tragic accident rather than murder. Lawyers claimed the couple believed the vehicle’s air conditioning was working and said their judgment had been impaired due to methamphetamine use. “This case is a lot of things, but it’s not murder,” defence attorney Dayne Phillips told the court.
Emotional testimony also came from family members. Cristina’s sister Elizabeth described Rita as a loving mother who often showed affection toward her disabled daughter and had even taught Elizabeth how to help with caregiving responsibilities. However, prosecutors argued that these claims could not outweigh the clear evidence of prolonged neglect.
After reviewing all evidence, the jury found both accused guilty of murder and grievous bodily harm. Rita Pangalangan was sentenced to 37 years in prison for murder and an additional 20 years for grievous bodily harm, while Larry King Jr. received 32 years for murder and 20 years for grievous bodily harm. Both sentences will run concurrently, bringing a grim legal end to one of South Carolina’s most harrowing child neglect cases.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2025 05:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).