Mother charged in child's SUV death
Toddler found in back seat hours after family took trip to get fast food

A 21-year-old Pasadena mother whose 2-year-old daughter died in a hospital after being found inside a locked SUV was charged Saturday with injury to a child.

Christina Elaine Alvarez has been charged with injury to a child by omission. Her daughter died Friday night at Memorial Hermann Hospital after being found behind the passenger seat of a 1997 Ford Explorer at 8:15 p.m.

Alvarez told Pasadena police she had taken the girl to a fast food restaurant between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. and after the trip had heard the child playing in the next room. Relatives arrived home around 6:30 p.m. and began searching for the child, who would have turned 3 years old in December.

"The medical examiner will be able to clear up the timeline a lot," said Pasadena police spokesman Vance Mitchell.

Six adults and three other children live in the single-family residence, Mitchell said.

Alvarez was released from Harris County Jail after posting $10,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in the 182nd District Court on Monday.