The Brief
A 25-year-old mother was arrested in Florida on Monday after her two toddler daughters drowned in Texas earlier this year.
Investigators say the girls, ages 2 and 3, both had cocaine in their systems at the time of their deaths in February.
Laura Nicholson now faces two counts of injury to a child.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – A mother has been arrested months after deputies say her two daughters had cocaine in their systems when they drowned in Texas three months ago.
Daughters drown
What we know
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, deputies went to a home in Katy, Texas, on February 11, 2026, for the potential drowning of two toddlers.
According to investigators, the children, who were three and two years old, had cocaine in their systems when they died.
Mother charged after daughters drown
On May 8, 2026, the girls’ mother, Laura Nicholson, 25, was charged with two counts of injury to a child for her alleged involvement in their deaths.
Laura Nicholson captured in Florida
On May 11, the HCSO’s Violent Criminals Apprehension Team (VCAT) coordinated with the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force to arrest Nicholson in Florida and book her into the Lee County Jail.
What we don’t know
Authorities have not yet explained how the toddlers ingested the cocaine. It is also unclear when Nicholson will be moved from Florida to Texas to face the charges.
What they’re saying
In a post on social media, HCSO wrote, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic deaths of two young toddlers — sisters — in our community. May these little ones rest in peace.”
The Source
The information in this story was gathered from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, which provided details on the investigation, charges, and arrest through official statements and social media posts.