Two counts of homicide added in kids’ deaths

Charges have been added against one of two Arkansans held in the deaths of two young children who drowned Wednesday night after the truck they were left alone in rolled into a pond.

Jonathan Daniel Welborn, 30, now faces two counts of negligent homicide in the deaths of a 2-year-old girl and a 6-month-old boy, records show.

Welborn and Brittany Nichole Hairston, 26, also face counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.

Bail has been set at $100,000 and $25,000, respectively, according to the Saline County jail.

The Saline County sheriff’s office said deputies were dispatched to 16956 Arkansas 298 at 9:44 p.m. Wednesday, about 3 miles from where Welborn and Hairston said they live, near Benton.

When deputies arrived, they found the truck submerged with its lights on in a pond across the road from a house. Emergency workers found the children, Sofia Welborn and Zane Welborn, still strapped in their car seats after being left alone for about 30 minutes, authorities said.

Neither child was breathing, and neither had a pulse, according to an arrest report.

Deputies were told Jonathan Welborn and Hairston were playing pool inside the house when the truck rolled across the highway and into the pond, according to the arrest report.

Both remained jailed as of Friday afternoon, according to an online inmate roster.