After discovering two young girls in the Lauderhill Canal in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in late June, their mother has since then been arrested and charged for two accounts of first-degree murder. The young girls, Destiny, age 9, and age 7, were found floating in the Canal.
The mother, Tinessa Hogan, age 36, was arrested on July 13, 2021, at 9:30 a.m EDT. Police confirmed her charges on account of the two children and her holding in the Broward County Jail. After her arrest, Hogan was scheduled to appear in court the next morning. After refusing to attend, the judge issued a hold without bond.
The children were discovered by authorities a few hours apart in the afternoon of June 22.
Destiny’s body was the first to be recovered, she was found near the intersection of Northwest 21st Street and 56th Avenue. Her sister was found later that afternoon a half-mile away.
Initially, at Hogan’s arrest, officials did not offer details about the evidence used against her. It was only after she was arrested Tuesday night that the charges were filed.
Hogan did not file a missing report for the children before their discovery and was last seen with the girls on Monday, two days before their bodies were found.
She was identified as a person of interest after reports came in of Hogan displaying erratic behavior. Some reported seeing her swimming in the same canal the two children were found in, holding a Bible and asking to baptize the neighborhood children a day before the two girls were found.
It is reported that when the bodies were found, one of the children, Daysha, was still dressed in her pajama bottoms — visible scratches were seen on both of the girls’ bodies.
Since then, residents of the area have dropped off balloons at the canal to mourn the children’s untimely deaths.
Written by Brielle R. Buford
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
NBC Miami: Mother Arrested on Murder Charges After Young Sisters Found Dead in Lauderhill Canal
WSVN: Mother arrested, charged after 2 young girls found dead in Lauderhill Canal; by Vanessa Medina
Local 10 News: Mother arrested on murder charges after 2 daughters found dead in Lauderhill canal; by Amanda Batchelor
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Nathan Rupert’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Steven Martin’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
