Simi Valley Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Heat Deaths of 2 Sons

A Simi Valley mother accused of causing the deaths of her two young sons by leaving them inside a hot minivan for four hours last summer pleaded not guilty Wednesday to felony child endangerment charges.

Marlene Heath, 40, entered the plea and was quickly escorted from the courtroom by more than a dozen supporters.

Heath, who has no criminal record, told a police detective she drank a bottle of wine and fell asleep in her bed as Jake, 3, and Dylan, 1, sat in their child safety seats, according to court documents.

She also told police she consumed one or two bottles of wine the night before. A blood test taken six hours after her last drink registered a 0.17% blood-alcohol level, more than twice the legal limit for driving.

Heath was arrested Aug. 4 on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum four-year prison sentence.

But Ventura County prosecutors charged her with two counts of felony child endangerment resulting in death and bodily injury. Those charges carry a maximum 12-year prison sentence.

Outside the courtroom Wednesday, defense attorney Louis “Chuck” Samonsky questioned the decision to charge his client with more severe crimes. He said he hopes a plea agreement can be negotiated.

According to a search warrant affidavit prepared by Simi Valley Police Det. Jay Carrott, Heath told police that she purchased four bottles of wine on Aug. 3 and later drank one or two bottles. The next morning, she began drinking again, consuming one bottle of wine.

Heath, a Kinko’s employee, left for a company picnic in Ventura about 1 p.m., but turned back. She estimated that she pulled into her driveway about 2 p.m.

According to the affidavit, she left the boys strapped in their child safety seats and went in the house to use the bathroom. She told investigators she remembers unlocking the door, but nothing after that.

“When she woke up at approximately 6:30 p.m., she panicked about where the boys were,” the affidavit states.

Heath found her children dead inside the minivan with the windows rolled up.