23-year-old Laura Nicholson was arrested on two counts of injury to a child on May 8 after an autopsy report revealed a habit of hers may have contributed to the demise of her two daughters.
Three-year-old Kinsley and two-year-old Kelsey were found floating in their grandmother’s pool in Houston on the morning of February 11.
Laura was asleep on the couch inside the house when the tragedy unfolded.
Her father, David, revealed that Laura dozing off was a frequent issue, with the investigation later linking it to her substance dependency.
Young mom’s substance-related issues may have caused the demise of her daughters
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
David Nicholson told police his granddaughters were playing inside the house when he returned from work at about 8:30 a.m.
He played with the girls and helped them eat before going to bed an hour later. His wife, Catherine, went grocery shopping at about the same time.
When she returned home at about 11 a.m., she found the back door of the house ajar.
Image credits: GoFundMe
She saw Kinsley and Kelsey in the pool when she went outside.
Her screams woke Laura and David and brought neighbors running to the backyard, one of whom dialed 911.
David performed CPR on the girls but was unable to revive them.
Authorities flew them to a nearby hospital by helicopter, where they breathed their last.
Autopsy results found c**aine and its metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in the girls’ blood.
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
How the girls were exposed to the illicit substance was not specified in Laura’s indictment. However, it mentioned that she was investigated by the Department of Family Services last year regarding substance use.
In an interview with the agency following her granddaughters’ demise, Catherine “accused [Laura] of using c**aine.”
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
Pathologist John Constanza, who conducted the autopsies, listed both drowning and substance toxicity as causes of passing for Kinsley and Kelsey.
He said the substance in their systems may have claimed the girls’ lives on its own, but he “couldn’t rule out or confirm d**th from drowning.”
Homeowners with swimming pools are required to surround them with a locked fence or gate under Texas law. The Nicholson house complied with the rule, as seen in footage of the backyard.
How the girls fell into the water, therefore, remains a mystery.
The girls’ father expressed his grief in a Facebook post while thanking his community for standing by him
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
Laura had lived at her parents’ house for about a year before her daughters’ passing after breaking up with their father, Corey Kite.
Kite, who runs a small jewelry business, was last seen with Laura in photos from their daughter Kinsley’s second birthday party in September 2024.
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
“I have no words other than I’m trying. Hard. I’m trying to take life day by day while mourning the loss of my two daughters,” Kite wrote on February 20.
“I’m trying to grieve and heal at the same time. I’m trying to be grateful and accepting of the large support group that I have, and I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the kind words, gifts, and donations to help alleviate some of this agony.”
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
The latter part of his message appeared to reference a GoFundMe set up to finance the girls’ funeral expenses.
“Kinsley and Kelsey were not just siblings; they were beacons of joy, lighting the way for friends and family alike with their everlasting smiles,” the girls’ obituary read.
“Their laughter echoed in the lives they touched, and their playful spirits filled rooms with happiness, reminding us all of the beauty found in simple pleasures.”
Laura was arrested out of state and is awaiting extradition to Houston
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
Laura was arrested by a fugitive task force at a mental health facility near Fort Myers, Florida.
Whether she was on the run from police or coincidentally in the state remains unclear.
She is currently at the Lee County Jail awaiting extradition to Houston, where prosecutors have requested $100,000 bail.
Image credits: Lori Nicholson/Facebook
Netizens have demanded the maximum penalty for Laura.
“An eye for an eye, immediately,” one person said, while another added, “She deserves the chair.”
A third advised a minimum age restriction should be enforced for having children, writing, “It’s time to implement parental licensing as there is for operating motor vehicles.”
“She was too young to be a mom,” a fourth agreed.
“This story is dreadfully said,” commented the next
